Hi Friends,
In our latest podcast episode, we’re doing something we don’t often do. We’re actually talking about nutrition. We’re dietitians after all and we do enjoy the science of nutrition, but we also know that the child nutrition information out there can be overwhelming and stressful for parents.
So, we’re all about keeping nutrition information simple.
If you’ve ever found yourself worrying (or wondering) whether or not your child is getting enough of the nutrients they need, this episode is for you.
In this episode, we chat about:
A simple formula for putting together meals and snacks that will include the nutrients your child needs.
What to do if your child won’t eat any fruits or vegetables
Why parents don’t need to give children nutrition information
The importance of empowering kids around food
Mentioned in this episode
Our membership: Take the Frenzy Out of Feeding
Blog post: The Berry’s Journey: Learning Where Food Comes From
Instagram post by The Curious Nutritionist
Warmly,
Elizabeth & Anna
What do you worry about when it comes to your child’s nutrition?
Transcript
Episode 103: Nutrition Made Simple
Elizabeth: Hi, Anna.
Anna: Hi, Elizabeth. It's good to see you.
Elizabeth: Good to see you, too. I'm excited to talk about nutrition today. We're dietitians—let’s actually talk about nutrition for once!
Anna: I know, imagine that! So often we’re talking about parenting and how to approach food, but today we're going to dive a little deeper into nutrition. But our goal is to keep it simple.
Elizabeth: Exactly. And as a reminder to our listeners, what we’ve been doing in our latest episodes is highlighting topics from each of the 12 modules in our membership, Take the Frenzy Out of Feeding. We’re giving people a sneak peek and hopefully sharing some helpful info along the way.
Anna: Yes! There’s so much nutrition information out there for parents—so much parenting advice about nutrition. What do you think are the pros and cons of focusing on the nutritional content of food when preparing meals?
Elizabeth: I’ll agree that there’s just an overwhelming amount of information. And we create content for parents, right? But ours is designed to challenge a lot of that confusing, or honestly, often incorrect info. We want to help parents feel less stressed, not more.
Anna: Totally. That’s what we do with Sunny Side Up and in our practices. So, for the pros: focusing on nutrition can help kids get the nutrients they need. I hesitate to use the word “balanced,” but yes, balanced meals that meet their needs.
Elizabeth: Right, but not balanced in a diet culture sense—just well-rounded. The downside is that it can feel overwhelming for parents. Worrying about every meal, every snack, every bite—too much of one thing, not enough of another—it creates a lot of stress.
And kids pick up on that stress, which affects the feeding dynamic. I remember when my kids were babies, I stressed over giving them only organic food and making as much of it myself as I could, especially with my first. I got over that with my second.
Anna: Exactly. So yes, it’s good to be mindful of nutrition, but not to the point where it causes stress or anxiety. Totally agree. So let’s talk strategies—how can we simplify nutrition in a way that’s empowering instead of fear-based?
Elizabeth: What we teach in our membership and what we teach clients is to build meals with three simple components: a protein, a carbohydrate, and a produce. That’s it. Keep it simple. An example could be eggs, toast with butter, and fruit. Or BBQ chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. This is directly from our meal and snack formula in the membership.
Anna: Yes, and once you offer those components, your job is done. It’s not your job to make sure it all goes into your child’s body. Over time, kids will get what they need. And of course, there are exceptions—like ARFID or other issues—and that’s when individual support from a dietitian can help.
Elizabeth: But for most families, zooming out and thinking about nutrition over the course of a week—rather than each meal—is a game changer. Like one day they eat a ton of broccoli, and then they don’t touch another veggie for three days. That’s totally normal. Nutrients are found in a wide range of foods, not just one.
Anna: The nutrients in broccoli are in lots of other foods
Elizabeth: Yes! Like Vitamin C —it’s in fruit, veggies, and even some grains. That’s the complexity of nutrition we’re trying to simplify and decrease stress.
Anna: We also use a snack formula: two items—usually a protein or dairy, and a carb or produce. Examples: cheese and crackers, yogurt and fruit, cookies and milk.
Elizabeth: And we often say, think of snacks as mini meals. That mindset really helps parents simplify things.
Anna: If you’re offering meals with 3 components and snacks with 2, think of how many opportunities your child has to be exposed to different foods in a week, even if they don’t eat them every time.
Elizabeth: Right. Exposure is key. If a child doesn’t eat any veggies but does eat fruit, they’re still getting a lot of those nutrients. Just keep offering and modeling.
Anna: If a parents says, “but what if my child eats no fruits or vegetables?”
Elizabeth: If that’s truly the case, than offer a multivitamin. To the parent whose child eats fruits and not vegetables, I would say there are a lot of the same nutrients in fruits and vegetables. And to keep offering the vegetables. And look for low-pressure exposures. Like the blog post you wrote about berry picking. Take them to the farmer’s market, let them help wash greens, unpack groceries, or taste samples. No pressure—just presence.
Elizabeth: My younger daughter didn’t eat green beans for years. Now she does. It takes time, and that’s normal. Some kids need professional support, but many just need time.
Anna: Absolutely. We often see kids labeled as “picky” who naturally grow out of it as they hit middle school or high school.
Elizabeth: Let’s shift gears. When we talk about nutrition, it’s easy to fall into labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” “healthy” or “unhealthy.” And now we’ve got euphemisms like “red light/green light” foods. Why do we avoid that?
Anna: Because it’s confusing to kids and moralizes food. And every family defines “healthy” differently. Plus, kids are concrete thinkers. Even teens can get stuck in all-or-nothing thinking.
Elizabeth: Yes! A kid hears “cake is bad” and wonders why you’re serving it. “Am I bad for liking this?” It’s not helpful—it creates shame and confusion.
Anna: And even “nutrient education” can be unhelpful if it’s not developmentally appropriate. I remember being terrified as a kid that if I didn’t eat carrots, my eyesight would suffer. That’s not empowerment. That’s fear.
Elizabeth: Exactly. The best way to teach kids is by modeling—offering a variety of foods consistently over time. They learn through what we do, not what we say.
Anna: And when kids hit the independence stage—high school, college—they’ll explore food in their own way. You can still model, offer, and support, but they’ll find their own path.
Elizabeth: That brings us to a great post I saw recently—something like: “Empower, don’t shame. Teach, don’t terrify.” That’s it.
Anna: Yes! I think it was from The Curious Nutritionist. We’ll link to it. It perfectly captures our philosophy.
Elizabeth: Empowering kids around food is eating disorder prevention. It’s helping them trust their bodies and navigate the world confidently.
Anna: That word—empower—is everything. If a child feels secure and confident around food, they’ll be able to handle any situation. No fear, no shame.
Elizabeth: It’s what we want for the parents, too, to feel confident and calm. And if today’s episode was just a taste, pun intended, there’s more in our membership. The Nutrition Made Simple module goes deeper with the goal of empowering—not overwhelming—you.
Anna: So good to chat, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: Same here, Anna. Until next time!
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