152: Feeding Toddlers (& Other Picky Eaters) Confidently with Dietician Edwena Kennedy, RD

I’m in awe over how much has changed about feeding babies and toddlers in just the 15 years since I had to learn it the first time.

Less stress, less structure, but even MORE importance to get it right if you ask me!

I asked dietician Edwena Kennedy to join me today to help parents feel confident when introducing food to their little ones — and a lot of these tips apply in a sort of reverse way to older picky eaters!

Send this one to any new(er) mama you know, and buckle up while Edwena delivers the truth bombs about:

• Why only a verrrrry few things matter about what babies eat (but a TON matters about how we feed them, believe it or not!!)
• The hard truth that many picky eating tendencies can be prevented when babies are about 6-18 months
• The dangers of purees, especially in how we think about them
• The crazy truth about gagging and why we should — not kidding — celebrate it!!
• The joy and massive impact involvement in the kitchen has on kids, even before they can walk
• Tons of practical tips about what to say and do at the dinner table that will revolutionize (and de-stress-ify) how you feel about feeding babies and toddlers (and big kids too!)

You’re going to love this mama’s spunk and fire just like I do!!

Can’t see the video? Watch Feeding Toddlers here on YouTube!

No time for the video? Here are the notes!

Feeding Picky Toddlers to Raise Adventurous Eaters

• 0:15: We put a lot of pressure on ourselves as parents to make sure our kids are eating the right amounts of the right things at the right time. Today on the Healthy Parenting Connector I’m talking with Edwina Kennedy, a dietician and a mom who helps parents feed their kids with confidence. 
• 2:20: Edwena shares how she ended up specializing in toddler eating. Seemingly overnight both her kids began refusing meals and only eating hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and pizza. Edwena knew that she didn’t want to short-order cook “kids food” for her boys for years. I have a little something to say about “kid food.” 🙂
• 7:24: Let’s start at the beginning and talk about feeding babies ages 6-12 months. Use this time to set the foundation for healthy eating later in life. Train their palette to enjoy a variety of flavors and textures. 6-10 months especially is the key time to introduce variety. It may also help to determine your eating styles in your family.

• 8:50: Generally we think of picky eating as starting around 18 months-2 years, but Edwena sees many picky tendencies begin closer to 10-12 months. How you handle it then could “solve” the picky eating or lead them further down that path so you have a full-blown picky eater by toddlerhood.
• 9:56: We hear “let your baby eat what you eat.” Make sure you’re eating a good variety if you’re not making separate food for your baby. The more “standard” food introduction approach focuses on rice cereal for every meal, repeating the same vegetables and then a few fruits for the first few months and all the textures are similar. Edwena recommends beginning all the food groups from the beginning, serve meats, vegetables, grains, and fruits when you start introducing solids.
• 11:55: There’s a difference between food going in the belly and being exposed to foods. Exposure through play and some tasting are very important to guard against picky eating, however, there are also nutritional considerations where you want to make sure your child is actually consuming enough of certain key nutrients. Iron is one to keep an eye on, provide iron-rich foods several times a day.

• 13:11: It’s also important to introduce highly allergenic foods early. The latest research shows that introducing allergens early and often can help prevent allergies later in life. Here’s more info on the early introduction of allergens.
• 13:40: Calorie-wise, breastmilk or formula is providing the bulk of their calories. Teaching them how to eat is the focus in the highchair. Increased calorie intake will come as they get more comfortable eating and begin to enjoy it.

With babies, keep mealtime pleasant and offer a variety of foods even if most of it doesn’t end up in their mouth. -Edwena Kennedy

• 15:10: Many parents worry about transitioning their kids from purees to other textures. Let’s talk about that. You can begin offering different textures right away. Well-cooked vegetables or soft fruits mashed with a fork are still safe to eat but provide some texture. Purees don’t teach babies how to chew and build their oral motor skills. If you have an older child struggling with oral motor skills, try this tiny salad trick to make vegetables more palatable.
• 18:17: If you have an older toddler who is still struggling with textures, it isn’t going to be an overnight fix, but you can slowly transition them to other textures. Edwena has some tips.

• 20:50: Pouches can be great in some circumstances, but you can’t rely too much on them. Toddlers need to see and touch their food. They’re missing out on the sensory experience of eating when the food goes straight from the pouch to their mouth. Leaving a toddler on purees is almost like leaving a kid in diapers and being frustrated when they haven’t potty trained themselves by age 4. Edwena shares more on pouches here.

• 22:08: Let’s talk a bit about older picky eaters. One common thing I hear from parents is that their kids only like bland foods. If the child has only been eating bland foods, that’s what they’ll want to continue eating. Introduce spices early, there are no restrictions on what flavors toddlers can handle. Get more strategies for picky eaters here.
• 23:02: Edwena walks you through examples of ways to transition a child to more variety of flavor. There’s more detail on the “bridging” concept in this post.

• 26:50: Let’s talk gagging, the number one reason why parents don’t introduce a variety of textures to their babies. Gagging is not a bad thing, it helps them learn how to handle different foods. Gagging is different from choking. Edwena explains how gagging helps babies learn to eat.
• 32:45: Sometimes older kids (3+) year olds still have gagging issues. It could be a learned reaction to something they don’t like, or there could be a sensory aversion. If they haven’t learned to transition from eating purees you may need to go back and relearn that skill. You can find my interview with Melanie Pottock here.

• 36:12: Of course, I want to talk about kids in the kitchen. Kids Cook Real Food^™ starts at age 2 and parents are often surprised I bring kids in that young. Edwena agrees with me that kids should be involved in the cooking process even before they can do anything. Click here to get a list of ways to involve kids in the kitchen at any age.
• 38:26: If you have a toddler with negative connotations with mealtime who really struggles with food, get them away from the table and get them to experience food somewhere else like the garden, kitchen counter, grocery store, farmer’s market, or even in a coloring book where there’s no pressure to taste.

With consistency and a positive environment, you’ll see a lot of change happen over time for picky eaters. -Edwena Kennedy, RD

• 41:04: I think I’ll need to have Edwena on for part 2 to talk about hunger/fullness, snacks, and sweets.
• 41:35: Edwena shares one practical step you can implement today. Here’s a link to the division of responsibilities.

Resources We Mention for Feeding Toddlers

• Edwena’s Feeding Toddlers online course
• My faux TED Talk about “kid food”
• Determine the eating styles in your family.
• Here’s more info on the early introduction of allergens
• Try this tiny salad trick to make vegetables more palatable
• Edwena shares more on pouches here
• Get more strategies for picky eaters
• More detail on the “bridging” concept to introduce new foods
• You can find my interview with Melanie Pottock on incorporating all 8 senses here
• Click here to get a list of ways to involve kids in the kitchen at any age
• Ellyn Satter’s division of responsibilities
• Find Edwena online
• Follow her on social media: Instagram, Facebook

Edwena Kennedy, RD is a mom of two and the registered pediatric dietitian behind My Little Eater™, a platform that helps families feel confident raising healthy little eaters. She offers online courses for Baby Led Feeding and Feeding Toddlers and has helped thousands of parents reduce stress and set the foundation for lifelong healthy eating.