The My Little Eater Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#61: Should Your Toddler Sit at a Kid’s Table or at the Family Table? Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

In today’s quick tip episode, I’m addressing a really common question that I get about whether or not it’s ok to use a kid’s table for toddlers. Montessori style tables where kids can sit at them independently without the need for a booster seat, or high chair, are very popular. And I can definitely see the appeal! So today I’ll break down what I like about them, as well as provide you with the top 4 reasons that I actually don’t recommend them. Despite the positives that I see from them, like the increased independence and social interaction with other children their own age, there are many reasons why I will always choose to recommend eating together at a family table, over separate tables for kids and adults. Now, I’m not one for an all or nothing approach, you know that! I truly believe you have to decide what works best for your family, and take this information and consider whether changing up how you currently do mealtimes at your house is something you’d like to try. As always, if you enjoyed this quick tip episode, please leave me a quick review - I read every one! I’d love to hear what you think, or ideas for future episodes, so please head over to Apple Podcasts and leave that info in a review there. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: If you’re looking to have happier mealtimes with your toddler, it’s time to enroll in my Feeding Toddlers online course! FEEDING TODDLERS: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-toddlers/ And if you need that little extra boost of support, encouragement, and knowledge to keep raising a healthy little eater, you need to be part of my membership program, the Little Eaters Club! LITTLE EATERS CLUB: https://mylittleeater.com/little-eaters-club/ MORE ON KID’S TABLES: https://mylittleeater.com/kids-versus-family-table SKIP TO... What I like about kid’s tables (1:52) 4 Reasons I don’t recommend kid’s tables (2:53)

# 60: What My Hubby Thinks of My Feeding Approach, His Role In Feeding, and How To Let Go as a Mom Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

This special Father’s Day episode is one that you’re gonna love! I’m honoring the Father’s role in feeding - whatever that may look like - by getting all the details and tips from my own husband, Jimmy Kennedy! Now, usually there’s one parent that’s more invested in the feeding role than the other. However, there is no hard and fast rule around this. Often I see Moms are much more involved in feeding their kids, especially if they’re the ones around them more. It all starts with the first year of life, where Mom may be breastfeeding, or they’re on maternity leave with the baby. They’re the first one starting solids with their baby, or they may be present for more of their meals. But there are more and more families who are making this a joint role, which is amazing to see! Nowadays, there are many Dads joining our client support group, now known as the Little Eaters Club. In fact, we’re seeing an increase in Dads sending us messages asking about our philosophies and teachings. They’ve done the research about feeding and are struggling because their wives want to take a different approach. It can be so challenging trying to find balance between two different approaches. My husband and I touched on this topic briefly today, but I’ll dive in deeper in a podcast that’s coming soon. So please stay tuned! For today though, we’ll share our different approaches to feeding, some tips that helped our kids become independent, adventurous eaters, and some advice for all the new Dads out there. If you get value from this episode, please leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts. This helps me get this podcast out to parents like you who are looking for strategies to help with feeding their babies and toddlers too. Oh... and don’t forget to subscribe, so you’ll get notified when new episodes drop! ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: The Little Eaters Club officially launched this week…. Yay! You’ll have access to baby and toddler friendly recipes that the whole family will enjoy, an ever growing video library covering common challenges and FAQs, as well as resources and guides to make feeding way easier. Join in on the fun today! LITTLE EATERS CLUB: https://mylittleeater.com/little-eaters-club/ READ ABOUT THE INTERVIEW HERE: https://mylittleeater.com/fathers-feeding SKIP TO: Meet my husband, Jimmy (4:14) Tips to raise independent, adventurous eaters (8:30) My feeding approach vs. Jimmy’s feeding approach (13:14) Advice to find balance between two different feeding approaches (16:35) Advice for new Dads that want to be more involved (18:12)

#59: Can babies have spices? Which ones? How much? Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

In this quick tip episode, I’m busting one of the most common myths I hear about baby food - “Babies can only have bland food!”. Not true! As you may or may not know, I am a huge proponent of offering your baby a variety of foods right from day 1 of starting solids. And to me this means also including a variety of herbs and spices. So today I’m going to share with you 4 reasons why it’s OK to offer your baby spices, right from their very first solid meal. And I’ll also explain about this window of opportunity that exists for training your baby’s taste buds, and just how I recommend you do so. Finally, I’ll finish off with some easy spice combinations that you can try out at home to take action on this quick tip and start enjoying more flavourful food with your baby today! If you get value from this episode, please take 1 minute to head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a rating and review (and don’t forget to subscribe while you’re there!). This means the world to me and helps me get this podcast in front of more parents like you who are looking for strategies to help with feeding their babies and toddlers too! ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: If you’re ready to confidently move through each phase of feeding your baby to prevent picky eating, check out my Baby Led Feeding online course! You’ll find everything you need in there to get started and continue to progress, along with some things you may have never even thought of! BABY LED FEEDING: https://mylittleeater.com/baby-led-feeding/ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE QUICK TIPS: @mylittleeater SAVOURY YOGURT IDEAS: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AQZkgHRJc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link MORE ON SPICES: https://mylittleeater.com/spices/ SKIP TO... Myth: Babies need bland food (0:58) 4 Reasons to add spices to baby food (2:38) Spice and flavour combinations (7:54)

#58: BBQ for Babies and Toddlers – Unique Food Ideas and How to Keep it Healthy and Safe Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, I reveal one of my favourite ways of cooking food in the summer...it’s barbequing! I’m answering a question that has come up a few times in my DMs: “How do I keep BBQ food healthy and safe for my baby or toddler, or even for myself, from a cancer perspective?” I’ve investigated the best methods to make serving barbeque food to your baby more safe, and I’ll give you all the tips in this episode. I’ll also share with you some fun food ideas that are appropriate for both babies and toddlers. All of the information I share today is strictly for your knowledge, and at the end of the day, you need to decide what feels best for your family. I will say that we absolutely BBQ all summer, do we do it daily? No, probably not. But I love the benefits of doing so, and truly feel good about this decision for my family. And I want you to use this information so that you can feel good about the decision you make for your family too, whatever that will be. If you found this episode helpful please leave me a review, it means the world to me. Just hit 5 stars and leave me a line or two about what you loved, on Apple Podcasts! Without these reviews, it’s really hard for me to reach more parents like yourself, and I really want to help as many parents as I can - so please leave your thoughts, share about it, and subscribe. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: The Little Eaters Club has officially launched…. Yay! You’ll have access to baby and toddler friendly recipes that the whole family will enjoy, an ever growing video library covering common challenges and FAQs, as well as resources and guides to make feeding way easier. Join in on the fun today! LITTLE EATERS CLUB: https://mylittleeater.com/little-eaters-club/ HOW TO SERVE MEAT TO BABIES/TODDLERS: https://mylittleeater.com/how-to-serve-meat-to-babies-toddlers/ MORE ON BBQ FOR BABIES: https://mylittleeater.com/bbq-food SKIP TO: Is BBQ safe for kids? (2:03) Tips for keeping your baby safe (6:17) Unique, non-meat, food ideas for the BBQ (11:06)

#57: Get Your Toddler To Eat Meat With These 5 Food Play Ideas! Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

In this quick tip episode, I’m letting you in on my top 5 ideas for encouraging your toddler to explore meat! Now, does this mean they’ll definitely eat it? No! But, exploring food, touching food, playing with food... these are all great first steps towards actually eating the food. When it comes to picky eating, the strategies are not immediate, there is no one magical, quick fix. But, there are really effective strategies that you can use, at home, to help them make progress, and baby steps, towards being adventurous and trying a food that they’d usually ignore. One of those strategies is food play. I go over why it’s so important to let your toddler play with their food - even at the dinner table - and how to do so in a strategic, non-pressured way, to help encourage them, and work towards seeing some success. If you get value from this episode, please take 1 minute to head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a rating and review (and don’t forget to subscribe while you’re there!). This means the world to me and helps me get this podcast in front of more parents like you who are looking for strategies to help with feeding their babies and toddlers too! ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: If you want more info on how to manage picky eating, with a complete step-by-step strategy, and all the nutritional info you need to feed your toddler healthily, it’s time to enroll in my Feeding Toddlers online course! With everything you need to tackle those picky eating tendencies that often show up in toddlerhood, this course is your ticket to happier mealtimes with your toddler. FEEDING TODDLERS: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-toddlers/ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE FOOD PLAY IDEAS: @mylittleeater CANADIAN AMAZON SHOP: https://www.amazon.ca/shop/mylittleeater US AMAZON SHOP: https://www.amazon.com/shop/mylittleeater SKIP TO... Why try food play? (1:09) 5 Simple ideas for food play with meat (4:57) Bonus tip (10:41)

#56: Solo-parenting as a Military Spouse: Parenting on Your Own and the Importance of Community Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of talking with Amy Morris, our Project Director & Community Manager here at My Little Eater™. We discuss her life as a military wife, and her time solo-parenting while her husband is deployed. She has some great tips to share with you for when you’re holding down the fort at home, alone. We all know parenting isn’t easy, but there can be added challenges as a solo-parent…whether you’re a single parent, or your partner travels for work, or they’re in the military. Solo-parenting means one parent is making all the decisions, and doing ALL the things to raise a child on their own, at least temporarily (because single parenting comes with other unique experiences too). So in honour of Canadian Armed Forces Day, which is celebrated on the first Sunday of June every year, I’m highlighting what it means to be a solo-parent from a military wife’s point of view. We’re talking about parenting on your own, feeding babies and toddlers on your own, and the importance of community. As always, if you get any value from this episode please leave me a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Without these it’s really hard for me to reach more parents like yourself, and I really want to help as many parents as I can - so please leave your thoughts, share about it, and subscribe. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: As I mentioned above, we talked about how important it is to have a community for support while raising your little ones. That’s why I want to invite you to join the Little Eaters Club! It’s the new membership community at My Little Eater™. You'll have access to our wonderful, non-judgmental community, get support, and get all the answers you need to your feeding questions. There’s a huge, and ever-growing, library of resources, monthly recipes, monthly coaching calls, teachings from guest experts, and more! If you’re interested, join now to get access to the exclusive founding member’s pricing of $14 per month – for life. LITTLE EATERS CLUB: https://mylittleeater.com/little-eaters-club/ BABY LED FEEDING COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/baby-led-feeding/ FEEDING TODDLERS COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-toddlers/ MORE ON SOLO-PARENTING: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-kids-solo AMY'S BIO: Amy Morris is the Project Director and Community Manager at My Little Eater™. She’s also Mom to two little girls, ages 4 and 2, with another baby on the way. She’s a military spouse who’s just trying to keep everything together, especially when her husband is away for work. She believes in doing the bare minimum when life gets hectic, being proud of all you accomplish as a solo-parent (even if to others it doesn’t look like a lot), and prioritizing the things that will bring you and your kids joy, over other things like dishes and laundry. You can find her in the Little Eaters Club on Facebook, and she’s always willing to give you support if you reach out! SKIP TO: Welcome Amy! (2:02) Prepping for your spouse to leave (7:25) Tips for making meal time a success (11:05) Setting boundaries or schedules without back-up (16:13) What to do when you feel overwhelmed (19:02) Getting help when you need it (20:59) Last words of advice (23:50)

#55: What It Feels Like When We Pressure Our Kids at the Table (and Why We Need to Stop) Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

In this special quick tip episode, I want you to place yourself in your toddler’s shoes at mealtime. I’ll provide you with a scenario that I want you to imagine, really get into the character, and realize how you’d feel in that position... Your friend brings you to a restaurant that they’re really raving about - they love it, it’s going to be good, there’s a lot of build up to this special night out. So already you’re feeling the pressure. The chef makes a special meal just for you, they bring it to the table, and it’s a plate of crickets. Note: for the purposes of this scenario, I want you to pretend that you don’t usually eat this food, and you didn’t even know it was a food despite the fact that we know that in many cultures this is part of their regular diet and is eaten quite often. For this scenario, pretend that you didn’t know and have never had them before. After serving your plate, the chef joins you and your friend and watches you while you eat - or don’t eat. They’re encouraging you to take a bite, they say it’s so good, you have to try it. The pressure continues to mount, you politely decline, but they keep pushing. How are you feeling if you’re in this scenario? How might you start to act? Listen in to hear me talk you through the emotions, the forms of pressure, and then I’ll discuss how this relates to your toddler’s picky eating. I want you to understand how it feels for them sometimes at meals, even if we think the food is something that is really good, really common to eat, etc. For them, it could be completely unknown, scary, and not something they’re comfortable with trying. See the parallels? Don’t miss my quick tip for the day to start turning these situations around now! And as always, please head over to whichever platform you listen at and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode! Remember to go to Apple Podcasts in order to leave a rating and review as well, I appreciate it so much. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: If you want more info on how to manage or prevent picky eating, with a complete step-by-step strategy, and all the nutritional info you need to feed your toddler healthily, it’s time to enroll in my Feeding Toddlers online course! FEEDING TODDLERS: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-toddlers/ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE QUICK TIPS: @mylittleeater SKIP TO... Put yourself in your toddler’s shoes (1:58) How empathy helps with picky eating (5:13) Quick tip of the day (9:21)

#54: Organic Food for Babies – What You Need to Know and What It Says About You as a Parent May 27, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, I’m giving you all the information you need in order to decide if you should buy organic food for your family. Maybe you’ve noticed that a lot of baby food packages tout the organic label in the baby food aisle, but is organic really better? We’ll chat about the differences between organic and non-organic foods, and get into the pros and cons. I’ll also share some tips to find balance between organic and non-organic, like buying fresh organic fruits and veggies when they’re in season and more reasonably priced. And, when they’re out of season, substituting them with something else to help with the costs. Additionally, we’ll talk about pesticide residues, and I’ll give you the lowdown on which fruits and veggies are likely to have the highest levels. As always if you get any value from this episode please leave me a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Without these it’s really hard for me to reach more parents like yourself, and I really want to help as many parents as I can - so please leave your thoughts, share about it, and subscribe. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: The Little Eaters Club has officially launched…. Yay! You’ll have access to baby and toddler friendly recipes that the whole family will enjoy and an ever-growing video library covering common feeding challenges and FAQs. As well as access to resources and guides to make feeding way easier, monthly coaching calls, and a community of supportive parents! Join in on the fun today! LITTLE EATERS CLUB: https://mylittleeater.com/little-eaters-club/ BABY LED FEEDING COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/baby-led-feeding/ FEEDING TODDLERS COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-toddlers/ THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE SAFEST FISH FOR YOUR BABY: https://mylittleeater.com/bestfish/ ORGANIC BLOG POST: https://mylittleeater.com/organic-foods ORGANIC FOODS SHOPPING LIST: https://courses.mylittleeater.com/episode-54-organic-foods SKIP TO... Defining organic and non-organic foods (2:21) What are the risks of consuming foods with pesticide residues? (4:24) Let’s talk about Glyphosate (8:40) So, should you choose organic food? (10:50) Tips for finding a balance between organic and non-organic (15:49) Shopping guide for pesticides in produce (17:26) Final thoughts (20:52)

#53: Starting Solids With Twins or Multiples May 20, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with two moms of twins, and I also share some insights from a third mom who wrote to us with her experience. We talk all about feeding twins, from starting solids to what it’s like now as toddlers, and everything in between! Twins seem like a whole new ball game to me, and I honestly don’t know how these moms do it - someone get these moms some super hero capes! We go over all the things that parents of singletons typically ask too - so even if you’re not a parent to multiples, these moms have a lot of wisdom and experience to share that can benefit everyone. We talk about meal planning when time is scarce, what to do if your babies aren’t ready right at 6 months, how to avoid the comparison game, and so much more! As always if you get any value from this episode please leave me a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Without these it’s really hard for me to reach more parents like yourself, and I really want to help as many parents as I can - so please leave your thoughts, share about it, and subscribe. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Have you heard the Little Eaters Club has launched? Join today to get the exclusive founding member’s price! Once you’re part of the LEC, you’ll have access to advanced learning through an extensive video library that will grow each month, monthly recipes, monthly coaching calls, and a community of supportive parents! LITTLE EATERS CLUB: https://mylittleeater.com/little-eaters-club/ BABY LED FEEDING COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/baby-led-feeding/ FEEDING TODDLERS COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-toddlers/ MORE ON FEEDING TWINS: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-twins MEET THE MLE TWIN FAMILIES: Victoria is an Occupational Therapist and mom of three who recently relocated back to Nova Scotia from Alberta. Jill is a mom of four (six and four year old girls and 13 month old twin boys) from Nova Scotia, Canada. Her husband is a chef and they all love food! It was always really important to them to pass on that passion to their children, and if they can help any other parents along the way, it’s a huge bonus! SKIP TO... Twin Mom #1 - readiness signs with twins (2:09) Twin Mom #2 - all about flexibility in expectations (12:41) Twin Mom #3 - mealtime and meal prep tips (15:52) Final thoughts (29:22)

#52: When to stop modifying foods that are choking risks May 13, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, I chat about choking hazards - this is a hugely terrifying topic for many parents, and I really want you to feel confident that you’re offering food in a safe way for your babies and toddlers! One of the most common questions I get about choking hazards is when certain foods are considered safe....when are the suggested modifications no longer necessary? Today, I dive into this for you, and explain everything from what the current recommendations are, and how foods made the top choking hazards list, to when I recommend reducing modifications, why you should, and how to actually do this in a safe way. I even provide you with numerous examples of a step-by-step process for how to do this, using specific choking hazards. As always, if you get value from this episode, please subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss one! And don’t forget to leave me a rating and review on Apple Podcasts - I read every single one and they truly mean so much to me (and I even use them for future episode topics so leave me what you’d like to hear about too!). ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: The Little Eaters Club has officially launched…. Yay! You’ll have access to baby and toddler friendly recipes that the whole family will enjoy and an ever-growing video library covering common feeding challenges and FAQs. As well as access to resources and guides to make feeding way easier, monthly coaching calls, and a community of supportive parents! Join in on the fun today! LITTLE EATERS CLUB: https://mylittleeater.com/little-eaters-club/ BABY LED FEEDING COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/baby-led-feeding/ FEEDING TODDLERS COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/feeding-toddlers/ SAFE BEGINNINGS ONLINE COURSE (USE CODE MYLITTLEEATER): https://safebeginnings.thinkific.com/courses/infant-child-cpr-choking-and-injury-prevention?ref=db040c CHOKING PREVENTION: https://mylittleeater.com/choking-prevention/ MORE ON CHOKING HAZARDS: https://mylittleeater.com/choking-hazards-for-babies-and-toddlers/ SKIP TO... What are the current recommendations? (1:16) Factors to consider before stopping modifications (5:03) How to gradually let go of modifications (8:56) How are things chosen as choking hazards anyways? (18:46)

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The My Little Eater Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected