Food For Kids

Does my child have sensory issues with food? With Kirsty Porter. What sensory food issues look like and how to help a sensory eater. (Food For Kids 2026)

On today’s episode I am talking to Dr Kirsty Porter from Nutrition For Kids in Northern Ireland. Kirsty is a registered children’s dietitian with over 15 years of experience helping parents overcome mealtime and feeding challenges. She specialises in supporting fussy and sensory eaters, and offers evidence-based but practical advice that fits real family life. When we’re talking about why children can be hesitant around new foods or have a limited repertoire of foods, there are obviously a whole bunch of reasons that come up, and over time we are looking at lots of them here on the show in more depth and seeing how we can help our children, but one of the ones that comes up regularly is around sensory issues with food. Kirsty does a lot of work in her practice with sensory issues, and has a specialist programme about it in partnership with an Occupational Therapist, so I thought she’d be a great person to ask about sensory eating. Kirsty's website: www.nutrition4kidsni.com [http://www.nutrition4kidsni.com] Kirsty's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition4kidsni [https://www.instagram.com/nutrition4kidsni] Kirst [https://thefoodiesbooks.com/resources/intro-food-familiarity/]y's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nutrition4kidsni [https://www.facebook.com/nutrition4kidsni] Instagram page for sensory issues advice: https://www.instagram.com/sensoryeaters [https://www.instagram.com/sensoryeaters] The Sensory Eaters course mentioned in the episode: https://sensoryeaters.thinkific.com/courses/sensoryeatersprogramme [https://sensoryeaters.thinkific.com/courses/sensoryeatersprogramme] Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

July seasonal foods - fruit and veg in season in the UK. Food For Kids Podcast (2026)

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in July, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of tropical imports that are currently in season. This will be useful if you want to increase your intake of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and want some ideas for helping to build your child's familiarity with them, whether they eat the end result or not! For a full list seasonal July foods, go to https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/ [https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/] Printables for summer seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables/ [https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables/]lyMusic "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

My child invited a coeliac friend home for tea, with Nicky Chilvers, how to provide a safe gluten free inclusive playdate. (Food For Kids 2026)

Today is part of our series called “Help my child is bringing someone home for tea”. These episodes are intended to give families who don’t have a special diet themselves the basic information they need to be able to be inclusive for other people’s children who do have a special diet. This episode is about hosting children who need a gluten free diet either because they have coeliac disease or just because they react badly to gluten. I think this is one of the ones that frightens people a lot because, like dairy, gluten is in a LOT of foods that you wouldn’t immediately think of. So for this one I asked Nicky Chilvers from Gluten Free Little Cook to run through some of the basics of coeliac symptoms and some practical ways to make sure that everyone has a child friendly tea without the worries of anyone getting sick, including less obvious things about cleaning utensils and oven tray position. It's a quick and reassuring guide to having a coeliac child to tea and of course bring their parent in on the planning. Nicky is mum to two teens; one of whom has coeliac disease. It was a shock diagnosis in 2018. There seemed little support for parents; mums especially, to understand the disease & help their child adapt. The only way to help her child was to learn about a gluten free diet & fast. Nicky then wrote a book helping parents from her own experience so they didn’t have the same struggles. A kids book was written to celebrate 5yrs of diagnosis & one for teens in 2024. When not on Instagram, she can be found in the kitchen cooking, working on her latest DIY project or out eating! DISCLAIMER: I spoke to Nikki in 2025 and she mentions a couple of specific products. Those mentions were accurate at the time of recording, but because manufacturers change recipes over time and podcasts can of course be downloaded at any time, those products might have changed by the time you listen to this. The episode is for general information purposes only. Please do check any labels on the day that you purchase a product. Nicky's website: https://www.instagram.com/gluten_free_little_cook/ Nicky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glutenfreelittlecook Music "Happy Days" by the fabulous Simon Falwar via Uppbeathchi Mentioned in this episode: Disclaimer I spoke to Nikki in 2025 and she mentions a couple of specific products. Those mentions were accurate at the time of recording, but because manufacturers change recipes over time and podcasts can of course be downloaded at any time, those products might have changed by the time you listen to this. The episode is for general information purposes only. Please do check any labels on the day that you purchase a product.

Is it my fault if my child is a fussy eater? What the science says about the real reasons behind picky eating.

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, we're looking into the science behind why children can be fussy or anxious with food, especially with new foods. As parents we usually decide that it's our fault whenever our kids struggle and there are lots of messages in society and from family and friends that reinforces that guilt. But the science says that lots of other factors are involved, and hopefully by the end of this episode you will feel a bit better about your child's eating and that you do have the ability to help them. Links in this episode: The Foodies Food Familiarity workshop: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/resources/intro-food-familiarity/ Episode on sensory issues: https://thefoodies.org/ffk12 Episode on relaxed mealtimes: https://thefoodies.org/ffk34 Episode on food chaining: https://thefoodies.org/ffk76 Episodes on your own relationship with food: https://thefoodies.org/ffk60 and https://thefoodies.org/ffk84 Episode on food games away from the table: https://thefoodies.org/ffk39 Episode on how to talk to children about food: https://thefoodies.org/ffk71 Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

Growing food with kids - how to keep a toddler busy in a garden, with Susan Hodkin

In this episode we are talking about how to keep a toddler busy in a garden, with Susan Hodkin from Two Dots Garden. This conversation explores the joys and challenges of gardening with children. Susan is the person behind the Two Dots Garden instagram account, formerly Two Dots Allotment, which grew an enthusiatic following of her fun, laid back and joyful images of growing food with her daughter and having fun with gardening projects and wildlife. One of the things The Foodies has always been about is getting children more in touch with where their food comes from, and so gardening and growing your own has always been a big part of that. But the reality of gardening with a toddler in tow isn't always easy and smooth, keeping them amused while you get on with essential jobs can be tricky and so any ideas for extending their interest is always welcome. Susan now has two children and grows food with them in their garden, but this interview took place a couple of years ago when her oldest was only three. She gives some tips for all of us on keeping a toddler amused in the garden for so many hours and what life skills she thinks can be learned in a garden. In particular the part around letting go of control is a useful conversation for us to have with ourselves as parents as well as gardeners. Links in this episode: Two Dots Garden Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/two_dots_garden Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat