139: Shannon Lyon on Food, Family, Allergies and Life Advice

Shannon Lyon is a food blogger, recipe creator, & mom of 4 living in Portland, Oregon, and a friend of mine since our London study abroad days in 2005. Her problem is there’s almost no food she doesn't like. She creates recipes that are easy but full of flavor. She teaches cooking and baking techniques at conferences and on her Instagram page @plumstreetcollective. Shannon grew up in Seattle then attended BYU, double-majoring in Advertising & English. After college she worked in advertising as a brand planner while also earning a Master’s Degree in Humanities. She loves sharing all her recipes and testing recipes until she gets them just right. Today Shannon and I talk about food and family, her tips for making the most of dinner time, her perspective as a mother of a child who has a severe food allergy, how to be thoughtful and inclusive to kids who live with this challenge, and some of her best life advice. I think by the end of this interview you'll know why Shannon is one of my favorite people, and she'll quickly become one of yours, too. Today’s episode is brought to you by Better Help counseling services. Join over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health. Go to betterhelp.com/mintarrow and get 10% off your first month of counseling.   Time Stamps: [01:08] - Let’s go through a few fun, random facts to get to know Shannon Lyon better. [04:08] - What sparked Shannon’s love of food? Shannon reminisces about her childhood and how her passion evolved over time. [07:08] - Don’t feel too pressured about cooking. Shannon talks about why quality time is more important than the quality of the cooking. [08:43] - What can parents/guardians do to get kids to engage during the meal? [11:00] - Find family time that works for your family’s schedule. Listen to Shannon share what she does to match her family’s schedule and taste preferences. [13:32] - Involving kids in the meal process gives them more sense of responsibility and pride. [15:46] - Shannon and Corinne talk about the changes of allergies among children over the years and the responses to taking care of food allergies. [17:45] - Here’s what you can do to help create a better environment for kids with food allergies. [20:24] - Shannon encourages parents/guardians who know of kids with food allergies to learn how to use an EpiPen in case a situation ever arises. [22:55] - Shannon continues to describe the key points of using an EpiPen. [25:47] - While explaining what to do about discovering allergies, Shannon recalls the time she realized her son’s allergy. [28:40] - How does the rest of Shannon’s family deal with her son’s allergy? [30:51] - Shannon talks about handling child food allergies in public spaces, such as airplanes, restaurants, and Disney World. [33:41] - What is the one rule Shannon has for whenever she goes on a girl’s trip? [35:52] - This is Shannon’s way of shifting gossip conversations and making decisions to protect her own space. [38:01] - Shannon and Corinne discuss giving and receiving different love languages. [40:55] - How important is it to know your kid’s love language? [43:09] - Family dinner is about spending quality time together.   Supporting Resources: Plum Tree Collective  Instagram