March 17, 2025 episode: "How to Get Lucky at Mealtimes"
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Welcome to the podcast!
Hi, I’m Christine, a holistic feeding therapist and your host. If you’re new to my work, I help parents of picky and fearful eaters move from mealtime stress to calm and confident eating. Using a personalized roadmap rooted in the four pillars of feeding—sensory, oral motor, gut, and mindset—we guide families step by step through a transformation.
You can get started at thepickyeaterstest.com to learn your child’s eater type: Fearful, Stuck, Curious, or Foodie.
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🍀 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s Talk About “Luck” at Mealtimes
You don’t need to rely on leprechauns to get lucky at meals—but there are some things that make progress more likely. In this episode, I’m pulling together some of our favorite foundational strategies that increase your chances of success.
But quick note—if your child is in the Fearful stage, some of these strategies may not be the right starting point. If you’re not sure, that’s exactly why we created the picky eater test—so you’re not guessing.
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1. Set the Right Conditions for Progress
Just like plants need sunlight and water, your child needs the right environment to grow their relationship with food. That means:
* Low-pressure mealtimes
* A supportive chair with foot stability
* Predictable routines
* A calm, positive energy at the table
We go into detail about all of this in the Mealtime Mindset book, in our course, and across previous podcast episodes.
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2. Start with Their Pot of Gold
Always offer at least one preferred food on the plate. Think of it as your “pot of gold”—the food that makes them feel safe and grounded.
But don’t stop there. Aim for variety—include a mix of familiar foods, with maybe one novel food in a very small amount.
Our short course 7 Plating Strategies for Success walks you through how to plate meals effectively without overwhelming your child.
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3. Use Cues to Your Advantage
Ever notice your child tries more food when you’re away from home? That’s because their home environment is full of cues—subtle triggers that say, “This is where I say no to food.”
We want to shift those cues.
You can do this by:
* Changing where or how meals are served
* Adding novelty (like eating outside or on a picnic blanket)
* Removing pressure and bringing in playfulness
By breaking the pattern of “I don’t eat at home,” we open space for flexibility.
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4. Mirror the Energy You Want to See
You can’t force a leprechaun to hand over gold—and you can’t force a child to eat. But you can influence the mealtime vibe.
If you’re anxious, frustrated, or focused on their refusal, your child picks up on that.
But when you shift into a neutral or calm energy—even if they’re not eating—it helps them feel safe.
We talked about this in detail in a recent episode called Your Child is Your Mirror—and it’s a powerful one if you haven’t listened yet.
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5. Expose, But Don’t Pressure
You’ve probably been told, “Just keep exposing them and they’ll eat.”
And you might be thinking, We’ve been doing that for months—and nothing’s changed.
That’s because exposure alone isn’t enough. It’s one piece of a much larger puzzle. If you’re not also addressing sensory needs, oral motor challenges, gut imbalances, and mindset blocks, progress will be slow—or nonexistent.
But exposure still matters.
Start with where they’re comfortable:
* Can the food be on the table?
* Can it be on a plate across the table?
* Can it be on their plate—just a tiny piece?
Move slowly, making sure the exposure stays positive or neutral. Never force them to tolerate something they’re clearly distressed by.
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Labels Don’t Matter. Root Causes Do.
Whether you’re hearing labels like ARFID or Pediatric Feeding Disorder, it doesn’t change our job.
We’re here to help your child build trust with food by uncovering and addressing the root causes—whether that’s fear from a bad experience, sensory overload, weak oral motor skills, or gut inflammation.
When we do that, we do get lucky at mealtimes—because we’re doing it right.
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Want Your Own Roadmap?
If you’re ready for a step-by-step plan tailored to your child, we’d love to help. Our Fearful to Foodie Transformation Program includes:
* A detailed Mealtime Roadmap
* Personalized guidance
* Tools and trainings for parents
* One-to-one support
You can learn more and get started at foodologyfeeding.com.
Let’s make every mealtime feel a little luckier.
