Choosing to breastfeed your baby is a commitment like no other. Being a mom requires so much energy and stamina, and breastfeeding only increases these demands. But with the incredible benefits that breastfeeding delivers, including providing antibodies to your baby, lower risk of asthma, type 1 diabetes, obesity and even sudden infant death syndrome, all of that effort certainly pays off. And mom gets benefits too in the form of lower risk for breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Keeping a steady supply of milk can have its challenges, especially if you return to work and need to balance pumping with a hectic schedule. Fueling yourself properly can take a backseat to deadlines and emails from the boss.
Snacks are important for nursing moms to be able to get the nutrients they need to keep their energy up and convert calories into nutritious milk for their babies. But you might be wondering whether there are certain foods you can eat to improve your milk supply. It turns out that naturally sweet dates are an excellent food for boosting milk supply.
A study done in 2021 found that breastfeeding moms who were given 10 dates each day were able to increase their milk supply by 11% in two weeks. Even more promising, the milk supply of the subjects increased even more to 23% from baseline to week 4. On top of that, the quality of the milk was significantly higher than that of the control group who were not given dates. If that’s not a sign to go snack on dates, I don’t know what is!
Other foods are often touted as galactogogues (foods that increase milk supply) for their ability to increase breast milk supply, but there’s no scientific evidence to support the claims. Still, there’s no harm in including foods like oats, nuts, beans and lentils, fenugreek and Brewer’s yeast which are often suggested to help boost supply. Every woman is unique and various foods may have a different effect on you than they do on your best friend.
Some of our favorite recipes are those that were handed down, because their list of ingredients and instructions tell a story and connect generations. Think: a recipe handwritten on an index card or a quick tip jotted in the margins of an old cookbook.
Mother's Day is all about celebrating the cherished females in our lives, and what better way to show appreciation than to whip up a recipe that's been tested in the kitchens of our foremothers? Here, we put together the snacks, desserts, breakfasts, and meals that were kitchen staples in generations past. And all of them include dates, of course, so they transport us to kitchens filled with the warm, caramel-sweet smell of Medjools being chopped, stirred, and folded into something unforgettable.
Brunch isn’t just a meal, it’s a whole mood. It’s about enjoying a slow start to the day, going for a second cup of coffee (or mimosa), and plates that blur the line between sweet and savory in the best way possible. And during National Brunch Month, there’s no better time to upgrade your spread with ingredients that bring both flavor and feel-good function.
Enter: Dates. With their rich, caramel-like sweetness, fiber for steady energy, and versatility across every part of the menu, dates are the ultimate brunch upgrade—whether you’re hosting your friends or just treating your family.
Here’s how to build a brunch spread that hits every craving:
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