Hi friends — it’s Katie. Today I’m recording from home (snow, ice, family downstairs, shoveling outside, and my husband on deadline in the next room), so if you hear background noise… that’s real life.
In this episode, I’m talking about one of the most common early intervention concerns: picky eating. I share what picky eating can look like, how it’s different from more serious feeding challenges, what research says about why it’s so common, and the strategies that are most supported for helping kids expand their diets — without turning mealtimes into a battle.
Key takeaways
Picky eating is common, can be partly heritable, and isn’t automatically “a parent problem.” But in the early years, the environment matters a lot — variety, modeling, routine exposure, and making food meaningful can make a real difference. And when progress feels slow, I can stay grounded by focusing on what I can control and releasing what I can’t.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Introduction to Picky Eating
01:48 Understanding Picky Eating vs. Feeding Disorders
06:45 Research Insights on Picky Eating
09:03 The Role of Early Intervention
13:19 Effective Strategies for Expanding Diets
19:01 The Centering Practice for Professionals
25:44 Conclusion and Key Takeaways