The Biggest Lie We Accidentally Teach Kids About Food
Air Date: June 15, 2026
Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast.
Today I want to save you years of frustration with one simple idea.
Your child does not have to love a food to learn to eat it.
I know that sounds obvious, but think about how we talk to kids.
The second they take a bite, what do we ask?
“Do you like it?”
“Is it yummy?”
“Do you love it?”
Without realizing it, we’ve taught them that every food has to fit into
one of two categories:
I LOVE IT.
Or…
I HATE IT.
But that’s not actually how adults eat.
Think about your own life.
Do you love brushing your teeth?
Probably not.
Do you love folding laundry?
Probably not.
Do you still do those things?
Of course.
Now think about food.
There are foods I genuinely love. But there are also foods that are
simply…fine.
Sometimes I eat something because it’s convenient.
Sometimes I eat something because it’s healthy.
Sometimes I eat something because it’s what I have in my refrigerator.
Sometimes I eat something because I know it’ll keep me full.
I don’t need every meal to be the best meal I’ve ever had.
And I think that’s a really important mindset to model for our kids.
In fact, just the other day I grabbed an overnight oat cup from my
refrigerator. It’s not my favorite breakfast. If I had unlimited time, I
would have made something different.
But I was busy.
So I ate it.
It was good enough.
And I actually think that’s a phrase parents should start saying out
loud:
“It’s not my favorite, but it’s good enough.”
Because children are always watching us.
If they only hear us rave about food—
“Oh my gosh, this is amazing!”
“This is the best!”
“You’re going to LOVE this!”
—they start believing that if a food isn’t amazing, then it’s not worth
eating.
But life doesn’t work that way.
And neither does feeding.
So here’s one small change I’d love you to make this week.
Stop asking,
“Do you like it?”
Instead, get curious.
Try asking:
“What do you notice?”
“What does it remind you of?”
“Is it crunchy or soft?”
“What surprised you?”
Those questions take the pressure off.
Because your child doesn’t have to make a final decision after one bite.
They’re simply gathering information.
Another phrase I love is:
“You’re learning about that food.”
Not,
“See! You like it!”
Just,
“You’re learning about it.”
That gives them permission to be unsure.
And honestly, uncertainty is where learning happens.
I also want parents to start modeling flexibility.
Imagine saying things like:
“This isn’t my favorite dinner, but it’ll fill me up.”
“I like the sauce more than the chicken.”
“I’d probably choose something different next time.”
Or simply,
“It’s okay.”
When we model that foods can be just okay, we teach our kids that eating
doesn’t require excitement. It requires flexibility.
Now, I know some of you are listening and thinking,
“Christine, that’s great—but my child won’t even taste the food.”
And that’s an important distinction.
If your child isn’t even able to get to the tasting stage, that’s not
because they simply need to hear different words from you.
We need to understand why they’re stuck.
Is it sensory?
Is it anxiety?
Is it oral motor challenges?
Is it a history of painful experiences with food?
Because the solution depends on the reason.
And that’s why generic advice like “just keep offering it” works for
some kids and completely fails for others.
So today, I don’t want your goal to be getting your child to love
broccoli.
I want your goal to be much simpler.
To help them believe:
“I don’t have to love a food to learn to eat it.”
Because the healthiest eaters aren’t people who love every food.
They’re people who can be flexible.
Thanks so much for listening, and if you’re wondering why your child is
stuck before they even get to the tasting stage, take my quiz or check
out the resources linked in the show notes. They can help you identify
what’s really getting in the way so you can stop guessing and start
making progress.
I’ll see you next week.
