Kids are curious by nature, it’s how they learn about this world around them… it’s also what leads to the dreaded “why” question over and over and over again đ
So let’s use that to our advantage.
Find ways to get their curiosity rolling. Help get into the role of being an explorer, investigator, or detective…
Let’s start with oranges!
Supplies:
1 orange (or a variety of oranges)
Magnifying glass (or use a toilet paper roll as binoculars, whatever works right?! đ)
Flashlight
Activity: Start by helping your little one use a magnifying glass to look at the outside peel of the orange.
Start by asking what do you see or notice? If they need a little help you can prompt them…”Is the peel smooth or rough? Can they see the “dimples”? Does the orange have a navel or part of the stem still attached?”
Now, peel the orange.
Let your child use the magnifying glass to look at the inside of the peel (pith) and sections of the orange.Â
Hold up the peel and shine a flashlight on the inside of the peel. Depending on the thickness of your particular peel, your child should see the pith that looks like veins running through the peel. If the peel is thin enough, you may see the orange color come through.
Let your child press their finger into an orange section and feel the juice burst. Use the magnifying glass to look at the inside of the orange section. Enjoy discovering all the parts of the orange together!
Want to discover more ways to introduce new foods to your little one? Join my new food email challenge!
Do you struggle with what eating at a restaurant should look like with your little one? I give you lots of tips and tricks to try! You don’t want to miss this podcast!
Click here to enroll in Safe Beginningâs online CPR course. Use code Alyssa20 for 20% off.
If you haven’t yet make sure to subscribe to my other podcast The Mama Well yes I have two!
Loving the podcast but looking for more?
Head over to my Instagram account @nutrition.for.littles where I drop almost daily content helping you change the mealtime environment in your home (make sure to watch my stories where I teach and explain in more detail!)
Hope this episode was helpful for you! If it was it would mean so much to me if you left a written review it only takes you a second but helps other mamas just like you!
Also if you liked this episode share it with your friends and family because it really does take a village to raise kids and it helps when your village is all on the same page!
Do you have your kids cook in the kitchen with you? I talk to Sarah from @snackswithjax and she talks about why it is important to have your kids help you in the kitchen.
Want Sarah’s Make Meals Fun Kit? Click here to check it out!
Looking to change up your menu? Look no further click here to learn more about the REVAMP system and how you can make small changes to your menu!
If you haven’t yet make sure to subscribe to my other podcast The Mama Well yes I have two!
Loving the podcast but looking for more?
Head over to my Instagram account @nutrition.for.littles where I drop almost daily content helping you change the mealtime environment in your home (make sure to watch my stories where I teach and explain in more detail!)
Hope this episode was helpful for you! If it was it would mean so much to me if you left a written review it only takes you a second but helps other mamas just like you!
Also if you liked this episode share it with your friends and family because it really does take a village to raise kids and it helps when your village is all on the same page!
Often I hear mom’s say, “My child won’t eat ANYTHING.”
As a practitioner when I hear this I have to assume that if they are eating absolutely nothing – no food is passing through their body – there is room to be concerned. Call your child’s pediatrician immediately!
Now that that is out of the way, today I am talking to the majority of you. When mom’s say this I find that they often mean, “My child is eating very little, skips meals occasionally, and is very selective.”
Let me put you at ease and share that 9 times out of 10
– your kiddo is totally fine!
But today we are going to talk about when there would be room to be concerned and contact a pediatrician.
First of all we want to look at the BIG picture here: It is not just their lunch or just their breakfast, it is the whole of their food intake. We never want to compare today’s lunch to tomorrow’s lunch or so on. Just the same as we as adults differ in our appetite; some days we can’t eat enough food and some days our stomach feels a bit off and we don’t eat much.
THIS IS NORMAL.
Kid’s do not grow at a steady curve and the fluctuation in their growth greatly affects their appetite and eating habits.
Alright now lets jump into when there is room to seek extra help. A reminder that this information is overarching, general education. This may not apply to your child specifically. So you always want to talk to your child’s pediatrician or an in person dietician if there is something concerning you:
Some reasons why you may seek out extra help:
If your child (genuinely) only accepts 15-20 foods after going through a program like Table Talk where you are offering a variety of foods, and learning how to expand the foods they eat.
Any weight loss. This is usually a sign something else is going on – it could be stress, them having a bug, an allergy, ect. There is no need to over worry about this, but it is a indicator that you should schedule a check up!
Long term stagnant weight or if their growth curve continues to stay the same. Similar to above, it is not something to over worry about, but it is a good idea to talk to your pediatrician and in-person dietician to assess what is going on.
Eating only very specific textures. A great place to start with this is taking Table Talk. It is linked at the bottom of this blog post. If after taking a program like Table Talk with no improvement, some extra help from an in-person dietician may be needed.
Gagging excessively or vomiting. Gagging is normal while a child is learning to eat and is no need to worry unless it is constant and present anytime they eat. Check out this episode from my podcast if you need more guidance specifically around gagging.
Having an incredible emotional response to food every time. This could indicate pain that is associated with an allergy or something deeper going on. Best to schedule a check up with your child’s pediatrician!
Any medical issues that may interfere with their nutrition. Examples are a G.I. issue, neurodiversity, or an allergy. When your child is walking through a health issue or anything that could impact what they can and can’t eat it is a good idea to process with a pediatrician a plan of action!
Ok, mama! TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
We as mama’s can worry unnecessarily. Even if one or more of these points is happening with your child, there is no need to get ahead of yourself or spiral in to worry. You can take a deep breath and trust that a check up is an easy plan of action!
Another great place to start would be Table Talk:
The picky eating program that works. It’s the program thatteaches you to be your own feeding expert, because you know your child best.
There can be a multitude of reasons why your little one eats differently at daycare or school. I breakdown a few of them and give you some ideas as to why this could be happening.
Want to try Dino Bars for yourself? Grab a pack by clicking here and use code Alyssa10 for 10% off.
Loving the podcast but looking for more?
Head over to my Instagram account @nutrition.for.littles where I drop almost daily content helping you change the mealtime environment in your home (make sure to watch my stories where I teach and explain in more detail!)
Hope this episode was helpful for you! If it was it would mean so much to me if you left a written review it only takes you a second but helps other mamas just like you!
Also if you liked this episode share it with your friends and family because it really does take a village to raise kids and it helps when your village is all on the same page!
If you haven’t yet make sure to subscribe to my other podcast The Mama Well
I feeeeel you, mama! Sometimes you just want to say “no!”
I am a big advocate and talk a lot around here about saying yes.
âYes!â to having some more broccoli, âyes!â to more chicken, and even âyes!â to more dessert.
But the question is when do we say no?
At what point do they get cut off â after 4 oranges? 6? Where is the boundary of when we say no as the parents?
Let’s talk about it!
When our littles under-eat or over-eat what we deem as the correct amount, we tend to lean into anxiety of something being off.
But we are not in our kiddos body. Read that again.
We donât know how much is too much or if their belly is feeling more full than usual.
As adults our meals fluctuate greatly; our appetites fluctuate greatly. So why would it be different for our kids? If you listen to your body well our appetites should fluctuate. In a growing season we may eat more and others we may eat less and for our kiddos they are growing in height, width, weight, and even mentally every day!
So letâs change our expectations of how much our children should eat!
Approach it in a mentality of wonder â âI wonder if my child is going through a growth spurt!â for example.
But there are a few exceptions to this and times we should be saying no to our child.
Here are a few:
If your child has an allergy and the food they are hoping for could or will cause them harm.
If it is outside of the meal and snack schedule. If you havenât made a meal and snack schedule listen to my podcast episode entitled, âWhy you need a meal and snack schedule and how to create one that works.â (linked below) When this happens we can acknowledge that they are hungry, make a plan for when they will eat next, and re-direct. An example of this might be, âI hear that youâre feeling hungry. Lunch is in one hour so why donât we go outside and play until then!â
There is no food left. If you provided grapes for dinner and your child had 2 servings and there are no longer any left this would be the appropriate time to say this. A great way to respond in this situation is, âIâm sorry we are all out! We them it all up. Mommy will make sure to put them on the list for next time!â
You need to save food for the rest of the family. This is totally ok to be transparent with your kids about. Especially in families with multiple kiddos sometimes there is only enough of something for each person to have one serving! It is perfectly ok to say âThat is all we have for today. The rest is for daddyâs lunch tomorrow.â
When the mealtime is over. Some littles struggle and drag meal times on. A great tool to use in this is a sand timer so your child can gage how much time they have. I suggest 15-45 minutes for meal times. Here’s a link to the ones we have — https://amzn.to/3vZEPUY
If there is a continual reaction to a food when too much is consumed. An example of this would be overeating fiber and it resulting in tummy aches.
An important disclaimer though: It is super important we only say no when there has been a consistent reaction to a food –not when we think there might be a reaction. Teach them how to listen to their body! I am a big believer in letting them eat it and then once the consequences come down the pipeline gently using it as a teaching moment and then reminding them gently the next time they want to overeat a certain food that creates these consequences. I usually hold this one loosely – not as a firm no but as a constant tool to teach them how to listen to their body.
So there you have it, mama! Say “yes!” often!
But occasionally know when to say, “no!”
Head over to the Nutrition For Littles podcast episode on this topic to hear my thoughts on when to say no more in depth!
Do you feel like your little one is obsessed with desserts and sugar? I give you a couple tips on how to help normalize desserts in your house!
Ready to learn about my Table Talk program? Click here to learn more and enroll!
In this episode I reference another one of my podcasts When to say no.
If you haven’t yet make sure to subscribe to my other podcast The Mama Well yes I have two!
Loving the podcast but looking for more?
Head over to my Instagram account @nutrition.for.littles where I drop almost daily content helping you change the mealtime environment in your home (make sure to watch my stories where I teach and explain in more detail!)
Hope this episode was helpful for you! If it was it would mean so much to me if you left a written review it only takes you a second but helps other mamas just like you!
Also if you liked this episode share it with your friends and family because it really does take a village to raise kids and it helps when your village is all on the same page!
Is your baby interesting in solid food? Ready to start trying to have more consistent meal times?
The number one tip I have for you is to feed responsively.
This means paying attention to your little ones cues of when they are still hungry, when they want more food, and when they have decided that they are all done.
This may look like your baby grabbing the food and putting it in their mouth, leaning forward, opening their mouth, and then also signs of being all done like turning their head, spitting food out and being fussy.
This is a great sign of your child being ready for a set schedule of meals when they are ready for solids. Let me walk you through what a schedule might look like:
Before I do that though, just a disclaimer: As long as you are feeding you child – you are doing it right. There is not perfect day to start solids and a meal schedule for your child and every baby is different.
The number one thing we can do outside of responsively feeding them is sitting with them and eating.
Starting around 6 months of age sit with your baby for one meal a day.
Around 8-10 months I would recommend a second meal and going up to three times a day for solids. Do what works best for you and your family.
Around 12 months of age is where it’s ideal to offer 3 chances for solids a day.
12 months on is where you start that meal AND snack schedule:
3 meals and a snack schedule in between. The ideal is to offer solid food every 1.5-3 hours from 12 months on. No need to stop offering the breast if that’s your jam, but consider offering solids before nursing sessions to increase solid intake.
Disclaimer: if your child wants more than 1 meal at 6 months this is totally fine!
This would be a typical schedule (12m+) but remember every child is different:
7:30am breakfast
9:30am snack
12:00pm lunch
2:00pm snack
5:30pm dinner
Some children will want to explore food earlier, some wonât be interested at all and youâll have to be consistent to continue to offer. There is not a perfect way to follow a schedule and we firmly believe in the 80/20 rule around here – be consistent 80% of the time but give yourself the grace to be a human as well!
Reminder: Consider a meal and snack routine verses a schedule. This is a little more flexible (not tied to clocks) and is a little more rhythmic. I find this works really well for families including ours.
The only difference is that meals and snacks are usually proceeded by and followed by the same activities or events every day. Ex: after nap is snack, after outside play is lunch, after school is snack, before bath is dinner etc etc.
Make the meal and snack schedule/routine/rhythm work for your family. Start by scheduling in the most important and immovable parts of your day and fit in the snacks and meals around that time. Ex: school is from 9-12pm or nap is from 1-3pm then meals and snacks will have to be put in between those times.
Hope this was helpful, mamas. Click the link below to listen to a full length podcast episode on your baby’s eating schedule & visit @nutrition.for.littles on instagram for daily tips!
This week I talk to Kristina Bruce who is a body acceptance coach. She talks about her experience with postpartum and how she didn’t want to pass on the generational chain of bad body acceptance to her daughter. She gives you tips and ideas on how to start having body acceptance and how to answer questions your kids may have about their bodies.
Follow Kristina on Instagram @kristinabrucecoach, click here for her free Body Acceptance Guide! Tune into the episode when Kristina was on The Mama Well podcast by clicking here!
Have you tried Daily Harvest? I am loving their smoothies! Click here and use my code NUTRITIONFORLITTLES for 40% off!
If you haven’t yet make sure to subscribe to my other podcast The Mama Well yes I have two!
Loving the podcast but looking for more?
Head over to my Instagram account @nutrition.for.littles where I drop almost daily content helping you change the mealtime environment in your home (make sure to watch my stories where I teach and explain in more detail!)
Hope this episode was helpful for you! If it was it would mean so much to me if you left a written review it only takes you a second but helps other mamas just like you!
Also if you liked this episode share it with your friends and family because it really does take a village to raise kids and it helps when your village is all on the same page!
I talk about 6 myths when it comes to feeding babies (I really came up with 20 but narrowed it down)! I covered the ones I get asked the most and I referenced some of my other podcasts so that I could keep this one short. The links are below if you want to go more in depth on those specific ones.
Click here to enroll in Safe Beginningâs online CPR course. Use code Alyssa20 for 20% off.
If you haven’t yet make sure to subscribe to my other podcast The Mama Well yes I have two!
Loving the podcast but looking for more?
Head over to my Instagram account @nutrition.for.littles where I drop almost daily content helping you change the mealtime environment in your home (make sure to watch my stories where I teach and explain in more detail!)
Hope this episode was helpful for you! If it was it would mean so much to me if you left a written review it only takes you a second but helps other mamas just like you!
Also if you liked this episode share it with your friends and family because it really does take a village to raise kids and it helps when your village is all on the same page!
