The Intentional Table

My Kid Won't Try Anything New - Where Do I Start?

If you have a "picky" eater, you've probably already tried to encourage them to take a bite, bribed with dessert, or even had a standoff at the table over food. Or maybe you've just given up and you make them something separate because, let's be real, they need to eat. And regardless of where you're at, chances are it doesn't feel great. Most of us want our kids to eat a variety, to be able to go out to a restaurant and find something on the menu, to make one meal the whole family will eat.  So it's frustrating when you feel like you're stuck in the same patterns and not sure what else to do. That's why I'm breaking down EXACTLY where to start if you're stuck in the "picky" eating cycle. In this episode, we talk about: * Why kids are picky and how that matters in your approach *  How to support your child without unintentionally making it worse  * The first three steps every parent can take with food (even if you don't have a "picky" eater) * What holding the boundary actually looks like - without creating battles at the table * What to do when they skip dinner and come back hungry 30 minutes later If you have a kid who won't try anything new and you want to stop fighting about food, this is for you! Want to connect? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2529793/fan_mail/new] CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD [https://www.instagram.com/nicolecruzRD] - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call [https://calendly.com/nicolecruzrd/free-20-minute-info-call] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

How We Teach Kids to Ignore Their Bodies

You've probably already heard that pressuring kids to eat backfires. It will likely make them more resistant to eat the things you want them to eat. But even when we know it - sometimes it's hard to not do it... even when it's not really effective. But the thing is, it's not only that it's ineffective or that it will likely backfire. It's likely interfering with your child's long-term relationship with food and how they connect to their body. In this episode, we talk about: * Why the short-term reactions we see are only part of the picture * What's happening underneath the surface - and why this is actually the far more important consequence * The long-term impact of controlling feeding dynamics, including what it looks like in adults * Why your child's body cues are actually their best tool for a lifetime of healthy eating * A simple check-in to notice where this might still be sneaking into your own mealtimes If you've ever caught yourself saying "just one more bite" and wondered if it's really that big a deal - you'll want to listen to this one! Want to connect? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2529793/fan_mail/new] CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD [https://www.instagram.com/nicolecruzRD] - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call [https://calendly.com/nicolecruzrd/free-20-minute-info-call] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

Why Your Kid Won't Eat Vegetables (and what you can do!)

You put broccoli on their plate and they won't touch it. You try again. And again. And still nothing. But what if you just don't have the right strategy yet? In this episode, we talk about: * Why more exposure alone isn't always the answer - and what else you need * Tons of ideas for preparing, serving, and encouraging your child to try veggies without pressure * Taste tests as a low-pressure, even fun way to build curiosity without expectations * What to do when you feel like you're already standing on your head serving it 22 different ways * Why it's normal to be frustrated - and how to make sure that's not accidentally turning into pressure at the table If you've ever felt like you've tried everything and your kid still won't touch a vegetable, this episode will give you a few new things to try - and permission to keep going without needing to control the outcome. Resources Mentioned: ✅ Give Your Kid a Knife with Heather Staller [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2529793/episodes/19022138] Want to connect? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2529793/fan_mail/new] CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD [https://www.instagram.com/nicolecruzRD] - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call [https://calendly.com/nicolecruzrd/free-20-minute-info-call] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

You Can't Think Your Way Out of Food Struggles with Stefanie Michele

You've read books. You've listened to podcasts. You follow experts on social media. And you understand, logically, why you shouldn't comment on what your kid puts on their plate or how much they eat. And then dinner happens, and something comes out of your mouth anyway. Or you know how bad you feel when you eat too much, but you find yourself in the kitchen at 10pm doing the exact thing you swore you were done doing. It's not because you don't know better. It's because knowing and feeling safe are two completely different things. Stefanie Michele is a coach, writer, and nervous system educator who recovered from decades of binge-restrict cycles and now helps people understand the deeper forces driving their food struggles and why they can't just logic their way out of them. In this episode, we talk about: * Why you can understand something completely and still not be able to do it - and what's actually going on in your brain when that happens * How diet culture and wellness culture keep your nervous system in a low-level state of threat, even when you're not consciously aware of it * Why binge eating keeps happening even when you hate how it feels * How your own dysregulation shows up at the dinner table and drives the reactions you can't seem to stop * Simple, body-based tools to bring yourself down a notch in the moment - before you say the thing you don't want to say If you've ever felt like you know exactly what you should do and still can't do it - around food, with your child, or basically anything in life - this episode will finally bring some clarity and help you see why it's not willpower, and there's nothing wrong with you. Connect more with Stefani Michele: ✅ Podcast: Full But Not Finished [https://sites.libsyn.com/592875] ✅ Instagram: @iamstephaniemichele [https://www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele] ✅ YouTube: Stephanie Michele [https://www.youtube.com/@iamstefaniemichele] ✅ Website: iamstephaniemichele.com [https://www.iamstefaniemichele.com/] Want to connect? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2529793/fan_mail/new] CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD [https://www.instagram.com/nicolecruzRD] - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call [https://calendly.com/nicolecruzrd/free-20-minute-info-call] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

When Other Kids Tell Your Child A Food Is Bad

You're being intentional. You're thinking about the language you use, how you talk about food at the table, what you allow and don't allow. And then your kid comes home and tells you that Joey said french fries are bad for you. Or you're standing right there when another little kid announces that pepperoni is bad. And you probably want to jump in and "fix" it. You're trying so hard to change the messaging and give your child a healthy relationship with food. But this is the culture we're raising our kids in. There are always going to be peers, family members, coaches, and teachers who say things about food that go against the way you're trying to support your child. We can't build a bubble. But we can build a foundation and help our kids start to think critically about the messages they're hearing instead of just absorbing them. In this episode, we talk about: * The different reasons kids say certain foods are bad, from diet culture messaging to allergies to cultural and religious food practices * What to say in the moment when you're right there and another kid makes a comment * How to have the conversation with your younger child (preschool and early elementary) when they bring it home * How to go deeper with older elementary kids in a way that builds critical thinking skills * The most powerful question you can ask your child to help them make decisions around food If you want your child to have a healthy relationship with food and want to know how to best support them given the culture we live in - this episode is for you! Want to connect? Send us a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2529793/fan_mail/new] CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD [https://www.instagram.com/nicolecruzRD] - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call [https://calendly.com/nicolecruzrd/free-20-minute-info-call] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!