Happy Eaters

Happy Eaters Helping kids to eat! Happy Eaters acknowledges that eating can be very difficult for some children. We regularly see children with NDIS funding.

Between 3 - 10% of children experience some form of feeding difficulty. It can be a normal pattern of behaviour for children to develop fussy eating habits at some point in their life. For most children, these patterns resolve without intervention, however for some children these issues can be long lasting and can be very difficult to manage. Justine has many years experience helping fussy eaters

and their parents. Justine also has experience in the management of ARFID - Avoidant/Restrictive Feeding Intake Disorder. These children and adults avoid foods based on colour, taste, texture or smell. Foods may cause adverse reactions such as gagging or vomitting and whole food groups such as fruit, vegetables and quality proteins may be refused. Happy Eaters also regularly runs food school
programs for small groups of children.

Is it “Fussy eating” or something more?Some children grow out of picky eating., but others don’t.We look a little deepe...
06/05/2026

Is it “Fussy eating” or something more?
Some children grow out of picky eating., but others don’t.

We look a little deeper when we see:
* Very limited food range
* Anxiety around new foods
* Strong sensory responses
* Mealtimes becoming stressful
The good news?
With the right support, change is possible—gently and at their pace


**Announcement**We have moved. Please note our new address is 13/76 Wises Road, Buderim. Our contact number is: 07 5445 ...
04/05/2026

**Announcement**
We have moved. Please note our new address is 13/76 Wises Road, Buderim. Our contact number is: 07 5445 6145


**Announcement**We have moved to:13/76 Wises Road, Buderim. Our contact number is: 07 5445 6145.
04/05/2026

**Announcement**
We have moved to:
13/76 Wises Road, Buderim. Our contact number is: 07 5445 6145.


Wishing you and your family a Happy & Safe Easter 🐰Please note our offices will be close from today 3rd of April, 2026 a...
03/04/2026

Wishing you and your family a Happy & Safe Easter 🐰

Please note our offices will be close from today 3rd of April, 2026 and reopening Tuesday 7th of April, 2026.

We will respond to any messages as soon as we can.

From the Happy Eaters Team 😊

02/04/2026

What a lovely catch up we had yesterday morning to meet Ashlea's beautiful new baby boy Theo and to spend time with Alice before she goes on her maternity leave this week. A very special time for them both 👼💛

One of the biggest fears we hear from parents: “What if they never eat vegetables?”Progress in selective eating rarely s...
01/04/2026

One of the biggest fears we hear from parents: “What if they never eat vegetables?”

Progress in selective eating rarely starts with a mouthful of broccoli.

It might look like:

• Tolerating it on the table
• Helping wash or chop it
• Touching it briefly
• Allowing it on their plate

Exposure builds familiarity. Familiarity builds safety. Safety builds progress.
Often it is a long game and small steps truly count.
#
sunshinecoastfussyeaters


Nutritional Safety Comes First ⚖️Before working on variety, we prioritise: ✔ Enough energy ✔ Key nutrients (iron, calci...
25/03/2026

Nutritional Safety Comes First ⚖️

Before working on variety, we prioritise:

✔ Enough energy
✔ Key nutrients (iron, calcium, protein etc.)
✔ Growth and hydration

Sometimes this means using preferred foods and/or supplements first — and that’s okay. Progress is built step by step.

Signs Your Child May Need Feeding Support ⬇Some children don’t “grow out of fussy eating.”Early support can make a big d...
19/03/2026

Signs Your Child May Need Feeding Support ⬇

Some children don’t “grow out of fussy eating.”

Early support can make a big difference 💛

Why Pressure Often Backfires 😨When children feel pressured to eat: • Anxiety increases • Appetite decreases • Refusal of...
09/03/2026

Why Pressure Often Backfires 😨

When children feel pressured to eat:

• Anxiety increases
• Appetite decreases
• Refusal often strengthens

A low-pressure approach helps build long-term progress. At Happy Eaters, we focus on creating safe, predictable, supportive mealtimes.

If you need individualised support to help make mealtimes more enjoyable at home, give our office a call on 5445 6145.

What Feeding Therapy Actually Looks Like ❓Many people imagine feeding therapy as “making kids eat food”… But at Happy Ea...
04/03/2026

What Feeding Therapy Actually Looks Like ❓
Many people imagine feeding therapy as “making kids eat food”…

But at Happy Eaters, sessions might look like:

• Food play
• Sensory exploration
• Talking about food
• Cooking or building food
• Playing games near food

Eating is not always the first step. Safety, trust and curiosity come first 🤝



Many children struggle with eating for reasons beyond “picky behaviour”, including sensory sensitivities, anxiety, medic...
26/02/2026

Many children struggle with eating for reasons beyond “picky behaviour”, including sensory sensitivities, anxiety, medical factors or feeding skill differences.

At Happy Eaters, our support goes beyond just what’s on the plate. We help families to:

• Build eating routines that support appetite and reduce grazing
• Use helpful, neutral language at mealtimes to lower pressure and stress
• Ensure children are nutritionally safe, even when food variety is limited
• Develop realistic strategies that fit your child’s needs and your family life
• Coordinate with GPs, paediatricians and other allied health professionals as needed

Our goal is to reduce stress, build trust around food, and help parents feel confident that their child is getting what they need, now and as they grow.



🩸 Is your child taking iron supplements?Did you know that calcium (from milk, yoghurt and dairy foods) can reduce iron a...
04/02/2026

🩸 Is your child taking iron supplements?

Did you know that calcium (from milk, yoghurt and dairy foods) can reduce iron absorption if taken at the same time?

✨ Helpful tips:

• Separate iron supplements from dairy where possible
• Offer iron powders with juice, water or non-dairy options
• Timing matters more than perfection

If getting iron into your child feels tricky — especially with taste or texture sensitivities — we can help you find strategies that actually work.



Address

Suite 13/76 Wises Road
Maroochydore, QLD
4556

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

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