My Little Eater

My Little Eater Empowering parents with confidence to raise healthy little eaters! www.mylittleeater.com

Edwena specializes in pediatric nutrition services, covering introducing solids, baby led weaning, picky eating and feeding problems in kids, meal planning and instilling overall healthy family habits!

04/13/2026

You’ve probably already seen this trend online - posts claiming that babies shouldn’t eat vegetables or grains because they’re “bad” for their gut, or that certain foods cause eczema, reflux, or allergies. It can be really confusing for parents- but here’s what you need to know.

Some babies do benefit from a therapeutic, gut-friendly diet for a while. This might include slow-cooked meats, bone broths, bone marrow, liver, or fermented foods. These diets are designed to calm symptoms, nourish their gut, and support babies who have specific gut or immune challenges. But this is only for a small group of babies who truly need it.

At the end of the day, a variety of whole foods is the key! Let them explore all foods safely, and don’t stress about following a strict diet, unless otherwise indicated by your healthcare provider. Variety is what helps your baby learn how to manage all different sorts of textures, flavors, and grow into confident, adventurous eaters! 🩷

👉 Want to offer balanced meals, introduce all allergens, and introduce over 100 different foods in just 60 days???Comment “PLAN” below for our 60-day baby led feeding meal plan created by our team of dietitians and feeding experts ✨

Wondering what foods should be off-limits for your baby? 🚫⠀⁠➡️ 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 should be completely avoided until age 1.➡️ 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗺𝗲...
04/13/2026

Wondering what foods should be off-limits for your baby? 🚫
⠀⁠
➡️ 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 should be completely avoided until age 1.
➡️ 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵 can be dangerous for a baby’s developing brain & nervous system.
➡️ 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘁 - avoid unnecessary salt from processed foods, which can add up fast! A little bit of salt in family recipes is fine and nothing to stress about.
➡️ 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿𝘀 should be avoided until age 2.
➡️ 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 as they contain additives & nitrates and are often high in sodium & sugar.
➡️ 𝗖𝗼𝘄’𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 - it’s ok for your baby to have it baked into a meal/recipe. It shouldn’t replace breastmilk or formula before age 1.
➡️ 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘆 - babies need lots of fat, so full fat is the way to go!
➡️ 𝗖𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗲 - coffee or tea products are a complete no-no!
➡️ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘁, 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗴𝗴𝘀 - risk of your baby contracting a food borne illness.
➡️ 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 - may have negative side effects when their concentration in the body is high.
➡️ Other foods to be mindful of under the age of 1 (and under the age of 4 in general) are top choking hazards.

🌟 If you’re looking for a step by step plan for how to start solids BUT you have no idea where to start - register for our 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣! You’ll learn what to feed, when to feed it, and how to feed confidently. Plus, you’ll get a realistic, expert-designed 5-day plan to kick off solids just for attending! 🥑

➡️ Comment “𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣” and we’ll send you the link to save your spot (limited seats available)!

🥕 Starting solids and wondering if carrots are safe? They’re a nutrient-packed favorite for babies – easy to cook, full ...
04/10/2026

🥕 Starting solids and wondering if carrots are safe? They’re a nutrient-packed favorite for babies – easy to cook, full of flavor, and simple to adjust to your baby’s chewing skills!

Why we love carrots for babies 👇
✅ Rich in fiber to support healthy digestion
✅ Packed with vitamins A, C, E, potassium, magnesium & calcium
✅ Colorful varieties provide antioxidants like beta-carotene (orange) and anthocyanins (purple)

➡️ Are carrots a choking hazard? Raw carrots can be a choking risk due to their hard texture. To keep your baby safe, cook until soft, finely shred, or offer whole raw carrots only in early phases before your baby has teeth. Once your little one has molars, avoid raw carrot sticks or coins until around age 4. Always match the texture and size to your baby’s chewing ability.

➡️ Are carrots allergenic? Carrots aren’t a top allergen, but in rare cases, Oral Allergy Syndrome (linked to birch pollen) can cause mild reactions like itchiness or swelling around the mouth. Monitor your baby after introducing any new food.

🌟 No more guessing when it comes to starting solids! Start with purées OR finger foods and we’ll guide you step by step using their Texture Timeline to keep your baby safe, confident, and loving new foods. All in the My Little Eater App. Comment “𝗔𝗣𝗣” below and we’ll send you the link!

04/10/2026

Starting solids and unsure about meat? Let’s clear this up 👇

Slow-cooked beef can be a safe and nutritious option from 6 months+ when it’s served appropriately. But here’s the important part:

Meat does carry a higher choking risk if it’s not prepared properly.

To make it safer for your baby:
✔️ Keep it moist and tender (dry meat = harder to manage)
✔️ Add yogurt, sauce, or broth to add moisture and make it easier for baby to eat
✔️ Mix shredded beef into foods like mashed potatoes, hummus, or purées
✔️ Avoid firm, cube-shaped pieces of meat that could block the airway

One of the easiest ways to serve it?
👉 Slow cook beef with plenty of broth so it stays soft, juicy, and easy for your baby to handle!

And your baby does NOT need teeth to eat meat. Their gums are strong and made for this 👏

Around 6 months, your baby’s natural iron stores start to drop. That’s why offering iron-rich foods like beef is so important to support their growth and development.

👉 Want to serve more meals like this with confidence? Comment “BEEF” below for our 60-day baby led feeding meal plan created by our team of dietitians and feeding experts ✨

04/07/2026

Most common reasons for why babies spit out food 👇

➡️ Their oral motor skills are still developing. Eating is a learned skill, and coordinating the tongue, jaw, and mouth takes time.

➡️ Mouth stuffing- some babies load up their mouth faster than they can handle - whether it’s curiosity, excitement, or just not knowing their limits yet.

➡️ Sensory preferences - taste, texture, shape, even temperature… if something feels “off,” it might come right back out.

➡️ It’s… entertaining! Yep. Sometimes it gets a reaction, and that alone makes it worth repeating!

➡️ Learning in action - spitting food out, inspecting it, and putting it back in? That’s actually part of how babies learn to chew and manage food.

✨ The good news: there are lots of solutions! �Some require feeding therapy strategies, some require good ol’ practice and some require modification of your baby’s environment.

Try this:�✔️ Model chewing (exaggerate it!)�✔️ Gradually introduce more textures�✔️ Practice with Phase 0 food (hard, whole resistive foods like a chicken drumstick bone or mango pit) �✔️ Take a look at timing - hunger plays a role, so you may want to adjust your feeding schedule

👉 Comment “CHEW” below and we’ll send you the link to our guide on teaching baby how to chew and swallow safely!

04/07/2026

Sippy cups aren’t recommended by dietitians, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, dentists and more!

This is because the skills of using a sippy cup are actually the same ones they would use when drinking from a bottle. When using this motion for too long, it can promote improper placement of the tongue when your baby is drinking, which can delay proper swallow patterns, and can interfere with speech and language development.

It’s not the end of the world to use them on occasion or for a very short period of time, but I would skip them altogether and just start with an open cup, then move on to a straw cup so that baby gets used to it them the beginning.

Plus, practice with an open cup and/or straw cup early on makes transitioning off milk from a bottle and onto a cup so much easier! 🙌

👉 Comment “CUPS” below and we’ll send you the link to our favourite straw cups for babies & toddlers!

🥜 Peanuts and tree nuts are both top allergens and should be introduced to babies at around 6 months of age. Since peanu...
04/06/2026

🥜 Peanuts and tree nuts are both top allergens and should be introduced to babies at around 6 months of age. Since peanuts are legumes, not nuts, they must be introduced separately from tree nuts.

I know you’re thinking - there’s a lot of different tree nuts! Of course, it may be hard to get through all of them, so don’t stress about it too much. Just focus on the ones you consume the most or may more commonly come in contact with. 

➡️ How you serve peanuts or tree nuts can depend on your baby’s stage of development or feeding style. It doesn’t matter whether you’re starting with purees or finger foods, there are many options for including them in your baby’s diet! 

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: Whole peanuts or tree nuts should never be given to your baby, as this is a top choking hazard. Big globs of nut butter can also be a choking hazard.

➡️ Comment “𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗨𝗧” below for the link to our blog on peanuts and tree nuts for babies!

Starting solids and wondering if shrimp is safe? It can absolutely be offered to babies - and it’s a great way to introd...
04/03/2026

Starting solids and wondering if shrimp is safe? It can absolutely be offered to babies - and it’s a great way to introduce new textures and a top allergen early on!

Why we love shrimp for babies 👇

✅ A complete protein with all essential amino acids
✅ Rich in omega-3s + vitamin B12 to support brain development
✅ Contains antioxidants like selenium, vitamin E & astaxanthin

➡️ Is shrimp a choking hazard? Yes - shrimp can be tricky because it’s firm and slippery. Avoid small cubes (these can easily block the airway) and instead serve shrimp as described in the images above according to your baby’s skill level.

➡️ Is shrimp allergenic? Yes - shrimp is a shellfish, which is one of the top allergens. It’s recommended to introduce it early after starting solids to help reduce allergy risk.

When introducing shrimp 👇

• Offer it at home, earlier in the day
• Start with a small amount and wait 10 minutes before continuing
• Watch for reactions (can happen right away or up to a few hours later)
• If no reaction, keep offering regularly to maintain tolerance

👉 Comment “𝗦𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗣” or drop a “🍤 “ below for the link to our blog on shellfish for baby! You’ll also find our tasty shrimp cake recipe at the end of the blog!

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10 Falcon Place
Halifax, NS
B3M3R4

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+19028021846

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Empowering Moms with Practical Nutrition Solutions!

Edwena Kennedy is a Registered Paediatric Dietitian and mom of two behind My Little Eater - a private practice with the mission of empowering mothers with practical & effective nutrition solutions. She runs online courses & in-person workshops on introducing solids & baby led weaning, feeding toddlers & picky eating, as well as meal planning for busy families. Edwena also works with clients one-on-one both in person and online to guide moms through various feeding stages & challenges with their little one,

As a mother of two young boys herself, Edwena understands the overwhelm and worry mothers can face when encountering feeding issues with their child. She takes evidence based strategies and combines them with strategies that work, from both personal experience and from hundreds of clients she's worked with. She loves being a support system to both mom and child, and helps lift them up from weeds and to a place where mealtimes are a happy place to explore and nourish!

Join one of these FREE nutrition communities for support from like minded moms and weekly live video education from me!

My Little Eater: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mylittleeater