Picky Eating Dietitian

06/02/2025

Live training for feeding therapists! Sign up at the link in my bio.

As a feeding therapist, it’s inevitable - you will be asked nutrition questions.

Announcing:

Nutrition Foundations in Early Childhood: What Every Feeding Therapist Should Know
🗓 Date: Wednesday, June 25th
🕘 Time: 5:00 PM MST (6:00 PM CST / 7:00 PM EST)
📍 Live on Zoom + replay available for 30 days
🎓 Attendees receive a certificate for 1 hour of continuing education. 
Please confirm CEU/PDH/PDU eligibility with your licensing board.

After attending, you’ll be able to:
✅ Explain how digestion affects intake - “It’s all one tube!”
✅ Learn constipation tips that are within your scope 
✅ Understand the role of micronutrients in development
✅ Add more nutrient density to accepted foods
✅ Read and interpret a pediatric growth chart
✅ Increase the calorie density of commonly accepted foods
✅ Recommend appropriate milk alternatives
✅ Nourish a child beyond just meeting nutrient needs
✅ Know when and why to refer to a Pediatric Registered Dietitian

You’ll walk away feeling more confident supporting your clients from a nutrition lens.

Can’t wait to see you there!

05/30/2025

As PFD and ARFID Awareness Month comes to a close, I want to take a moment to highlight the key differences between picky eating, Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD), and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

These terms are often used interchangeably - but they’re not the same. And understanding the difference can be the key to getting kids the support they truly need.

As a “picky eating dietitian”, I work with families navigating everything from typical picky eating to complex feeding challenges like PFD and ARFID - because every child deserves compassionate, individualized care when they aren’t getting the nutrition they need (no matter the label).

04/14/2025

Pouches have been a hot topic lately! Pouches can be a lifesaver when on-the-go, and can be especially reassuring if you know your kiddo probably isn’t getting in enough fruits and veggies. But should they be your go-to? 🤔

I’m breaking down the good, the not so good and the must-knows when it comes to pouches from a pediatric dietitian’s POV!

Spoiler: It’s not all or nothing, it’s about balance (just like everything in nutrition).

09/19/2024

I asked someone recently to describe with the word nourish means to them. Like I, they had believed “nourish” to be a word derived from nutrients, and/or the act of feeding children. After some investigation, I learned that is not true.

The word nourish comes from the Latin root Nutrio and French root Nourrir. If you look at the definition of each of those words, it is expanded to a much more sensitive, caring, and nurturing sense of the word. When it comes down to it, there is a sense of connectedness and nurturing we feel when providing kids with a meal that time and love has been poured into.

Sometimes connection is sacrificed in the name of nutrition (for example: force-feeding, bribing, negotiating). Nutrition is important, YES, but having a positive mealtime experience and feeling connected carries us so much further than “just getting another bite in”.

Things are going to look a little different around here - we will be rebranding to “Nourished Pediatrics” to encompass the acknowledgment that mealtimes need to include - yes, nutrition - but also space to come together as a family to nurture those connections and make mealtimes positive.

While we do specialize in picky eating, my goal with this rebrand is to also demonstrate that we work in every area of pediatrics, including gut health (constipation, diarrhea, SIBO), food allergies, growth concerns and failure to thrive, starting solids, transitioning to milk, formula feeding, and others.

I am also launching a course this fall (for real this time) called “Nourishing Picky Eaters: creative solutions for peaceful meals, healthy kids, and connected families”.

Send me a DM if you want to get on the presale list 🫶🏻

02/05/2024

01/04/2024

Mantras for 2024 ✨ the fourth one is my personal favorite

12/12/2023

“What can I feed my picky eater?”

Parents - I get this question a lot! Just like an iceberg, what you see above the surface is only part of the story. There’s a whole world of factors below that influence those picky habits.

The truth is, picky eating can be complex, and every child is different. It’s impossible to give a list of “kid friendly” foods, when not all kids share the same preferences, sensory profile, or chewing skills.

If you think about it, you would never ask, “what are some good adult friendly meals/snacks?”

Understanding each kiddo’s individual preferences, sensory quirks, and even their chewing skills is key. We’re all individuals!

Nutrient deficiencies like iron deficiency can cause poor appetite, sippin on milk or even water all day long can prevent kiddos from getting hungry for those nourishing meals you’re making, and constipation can make anyone not want to eat.

If you’d like help identifying your picky eater’s “why” - send me a DM or schedule a time to chat at the link in my bio!

11/17/2023

This is your monthly PSA that frozen fruit is just as nutritious, if not more, than fresh fruit. Plus, it’s convenient and lasts longer. And let’s be real, grocery prices these days don’t always allow for fresh food ALL the time (especially when chances are, your toddler won’t eat it all anyways).

11/14/2023

We know that grazing can lead to significantly less overall intake in calories consumed. Spacing out meals and snacks, and letting kids get a chance to get hungry, makes it much more likely that they will try new foods when you serve it to them!

Now scheduling 1-1 picky eating help for December at the link in my bio 🤍

11/09/2023

The feeding journey is not linear.. in fact, sometimes it looks a little bit more like chutes and ladders 🛝🪜

There are often slides and setbacks, but it is all part of the process. If you’re in the thick of it, don’t lose hope!

It may be helpful to create an accepted food log to show where you started and where you are at today. When you’re with your child every day, sometimes it’s hard to see those microscopic changes, but over time small changes lead to big results!

I only have a few more options for 1-1 clients in the month of DECEMBER. If you’d like eating support for your little one before the holidays, schedule a ⭐️ free ⭐️ call at the link in my bio! I’d love to hear from you!

11/06/2023

The way we present food - both visually and the way we talk about it - can make a huge difference in kids’ willingness to try new things.

Think about some of the things that your child REALLY likes right now. Are they super into snakes? Paw patrol? Unicorns?

Try encouraging your child to take a “snake smell” of a new food by sticking their tongue out and juuuust barely licking the new food. Has Rubble in Paw Patrol tried a new food recently? Could you cook beets in rice/pasta to dye the color deep purple - kind of like a unicorn color?

With just a little bit of creativity, you can help your child think of food in a “fun and exciting” way instead of a “new and scary” way.

What are your kiddos’ favorite characters/animals? Drop them below and I’ll help you come up with a way to incorporate into food! ⬇️

11/06/2023

Are you in a snack rut? Do you often default to snacking as grabbing a handful of goldfish or a few crackers?

Most toddlers snack AT LEAST 1-2x times a day, but let’s be real, often times way more than this. Snack times are just as good of an opportunity to offer new/nonpreferred foods at mealtimes! Here are some examples of ways to offer typical pantry items with a more nourishing option to keep kids full and satisfied until the next meal or snack time.

Am I missing any examples? Add your favorites in the comments below!