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If you have a selective eating at home, you are not alone! I am right in the trenches with you. I have noticed that many parents find the meal to be one of the most frustrating parts of the day, wondering how to get their child to try new foods without battle. That is why I had to chat with Amanda Blechman, a registered dietician, recipe developer and mom to help us navigate the difficult world of selective food. I liked this episode with Amanda – shared experts in knowledge of what parents could not unintentionally help the situation, practical strategies to expand our palate without pressure or power struggles and much more. Whether it is a toddler who denies vegetables or a child stuck in one phase for only chicken-nuggets, this episode is full of useful tips to make meals smoother and more enjoyable for the whole family.
Who is Amanda Blechman?
Amanda Blechman is a registered diet, recipe developer and mom of two young children who love to combine the passions of food and family in her work. In the context of the Nutrition and Scientific Affairs Group at Danone North America, Amanda provides scientific guidance to support nutritional communications, promotion and training for professionals and health consumers. Amanda is also a creative cooking programmer and recipes and in her spare time she enjoys sharing useful tips on social media to make family meals less scary for parents and carers.
What did we discuss?
As I said, I got to talk to Amanda about selective eaters and how we can help them become adventurous eaters. Here are many of the questions we covered in our conversation:
- When you hear someone say they have a selective eating, what is the first thing that goes through your mind?
- Why do you think some children are selective eaters and others are more adventurous eating?
- What tips do you have for parents with children who are selective eaters?
- Are there things that parents can make a mistake that do not help their children with their food? What should parents do?
- How do you feel about “leave the starvation”? Some parents refuse to have another, different meal for their selective child and say, “If you are not going to eat what the family eats, you are not going to eat at all.” What are your thoughts about this?
- If you disagree with it, what should parents do?
- What are some easy ways for parents to introduce and encourage new food into their child’s diet?
- If parents could do one thing today to really help their child become a more adventurous eating, what would it be?
- Can you share some easy tips to create a well -rounded box for a selective eating?
- What do parents do not know about pediatric diet but should they know?
- Where do you see the future of pediatric nutrition and what impact do you hope to have on the industry?
I know very well – and Amanda confirmed! – that conquering selective consumption does not happen overnight. However, with patience, consistency and these different approaches, parents can help their children build a more positive relationship with food. Amanda’s expert advice reminds us that meal hours should be for exploration, not coercion and that small wins – like a child just touching a new food – are steps in the right direction.
Amanda’s resources
Refers to the episode
Thank you for listening to our podcast! If you have found this episode useful, be sure to share it with another parent who could use some encouragement. And as always, be sure to register Chick Chat: The Baby Chick Podcast For more conversations like this, leave us a review and follow us on the Podcast Instagram page @Thebabychickchat for more inspirational content. Cheer to grow adventurous eaters!
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