Hey mama, ever felt disheartened seeing your child encounter diet culture outside of your safe home environment? Well, it's time to arm them with critical thinking skills to navigate this tricky landscape. We're about to set out on an exploration of diet culture in schools, understanding its layers, and sharing our thoughts on how to lift this shame together.When was the last time you thought about the Presidential Fitness Test? Many of us might remember it as a harmless school ritual, but could it be a subtle harbinger of diet culture? This episode exposes the damaging impact of diet culture in our education system, specifically through the lens of such health campaigns. We share personal experiences of how such initiatives could potentially fuel eating disorders, body shaming, and undue comparisons, manifesting not just in schools but also doctors' offices, social media, and other forms of media.We also turn our spotlight on the unseen effects of diet culture on anti-bullying campaigns, curriculum, and statewide testing. The episode also discusses the pressures children might face when they're food policed at school, and how food shaming can lead to anxiety in children. Parents, we'll be sharing some tips and resources to support your children in navigating these issues. Buckle up for an enlightening journey that tackles the diet culture in our children's schools. Tune in and let's start lifting the shame together.Questions about today's episode or do you have topic requests for future episodes? Please send your feedback via email to [email protected] or connect with Crystal on Instagram.

Overwhelmed with the daunting task of packing your child's school lunch? Fear not, we're here to take on this challenge together. Equipped with tried-and-true techniques from my own experience and work with clients, this episode is a goldmine of practical advice to help you navigate the school year with a picky eater.First, we share a simple and fool-proof approach to assembling school lunches that are nutritious and enjoyable. We emphasize the three Ps - packaged items, protein and produce. Let's ditch any pressure or guilt associated with feeding our children and instead, focus on creating a relaxed and positive meal experience. Additionally, we reveal the perks of involving your child in the lunch-packing process. It not only makes the task fun and educational but also offers an opportunity to introduce varied produce options in an appealing way.Lastly, we address the importance of being responsive to our children's food interests and incorporating them into their school lunches. No food should be off-limits or put on a pedestal. We also highlight potential red flags in their eating habits at school. Tune in to learn how to build a positive food environment, set effective boundaries, and make sure there are healthy snacks to fill the gaps between meals. Together, let's ensure a great school year for our children!Shownotes Links:[Free Guide]: "Simplify Snacking: The Snack Guide For Busy Moms Raising Intuitive Eaters"Questions about today's episode or do you have topic requests for future episodes? Please send your feedback via email to [email protected] or connect with Crystal on Instagram.

Ever felt like you're standing on the battleground every mealtime, with your picky eater child on the opposing side? You might be surprised to uncover that the roots of picky eating can be traced back to our own childhood experiences and narratives. This episode uncovers the deeper issues that influence our reactions to picky eating, urging us to look at our own food traumas and how they affect our attitudes towards our child's eating habits. It's a riveting journey into understanding why picky eating can be so triggering for us as parents, how it impacts our family dynamics, and the significance of acknowledging our own food narratives.Trigger alert! Dealing with our unresolved food trauma can lead to heightened reactions to our child's picky eating. This episode emphasizes the importance of recognizing our triggers and how understanding our own food story can help us in maneuvering through the maze of selective eating. In addition, we also examine how childhood experiences, neurodivergence, and unmet needs shape our relationship with food and our approach to our children's eating habits. We've also touched upon how our own neurodivergence, or that of our children, can affect our relationship with food, and how our needs as parents can often be overlooked.This isn’t your regular advice episode. We're looking beyond short-term fixes and focusing more on raising intuitive eaters who can confidently trust their bodies. We're offering some valuable tips on how to create an environment of acceptance and understanding around food. But remember, it's not just about resolving picky eating, but also about understanding our triggers, practicing acceptance, decreasing our alarm responses, attending to our own needs, and giving ourselves grace.Questions about today's episode or do you have topic requests for future episodes? Please send your feedback via email to [email protected] or connect with Crystal on Instagram.

Celebrating a year of the Lift the Shame podcast, I, Crystal, am thrilled to take another lap around the sun with you as we tackle one of parenting's most intriguing dilemmas - picky eating. Have you ever felt like you're running in circles when it comes to feeding your little one? Trust me, you're not alone. Drawing from my personal journey in feeding my two selective eaters, we'll discuss various aspects of picky eating, from its emotional tug of war to its potential triggers. Who would've thought that making meals fun could amplify feeding difficulties? A recent study suggests so! Treading lightly on this path, we navigate the stress surrounding a picky eater's weight, nutrition, and health, offering solace and strategies to wriggle out of the anxiety. Remember, it's okay to be worried, but let's channel that concern into understanding and helping our little ones develop healthy eating habits.But be wary, moms, as we delve into the potential pitfalls of wielding nutrition info as a feeding stick. Respect your child's autonomy, let them explore at their own pace, and avoid making meal times a battleground. The feeding relationship is a delicate one, and your trust can make all the difference. So join me, as we shed the shame, embrace our mistakes, and journey towards fostering a healthier relationship with food for our children.Questions about today's episode or do you have topic requests for future episodes? Please send your feedback via email to [email protected] or connect with Crystal on Instagram.

Hey Mama, ever been steeped in shame and guilt over your child's picky eating habits? Take heart; you're not alone on this journey. I'm Crystal, your intuitive eating dietitian and mom of five, here to help unshackle you from the burden of those misconceptions. My experience with my own picky eaters has given me insights I'm eager to share. Let's start debunking those myths together, shall we? You're not spoiling your child by allowing them to enjoy their safe foods. Instead, you're creating a stress-free mealtime environment that helps your child bridge the gap between accepted foods and new ones.Now, let's talk health. It's a common belief that selective eaters are unhealthy - a myth that needs challenging. Health is nuanced and contextual, especially when it comes to our children. It's time to debunk the overestimated expectations we have about our kids' eating habits. A picky eater's nutrition may not be as dire as you might think. Our foods are fortified, and your child is probably getting the nutrients they need, even if their plate isn't a rainbow of different foods.To round off our myth-busting mission, we'll be addressing the impact of diet culture on our perceptions. Who said a child's reluctance to try different foods equates to parental failure? Not so, Mama. Our goal isn't to eradicate their picky eating tendencies, but rather to teach our children to become the best experts of their own bodies. Let's encourage them to trust and accept their unique eating experiences. It's time to lift the shame, embrace acceptance, and start raising intuitive eaters. Tune in, let's free ourselves and our kids from the guilt and expectations.Questions about today's episode or do you have topic requests for future episodes? Please send your feedback via email to [email protected] or connect with Crystal on Instagram.