From the Start Nutrition, Pediatric & Family Dietitian in New Jersey

04/20/2026

Do mealtimes currently feel more like a negotiation than a peaceful family dinner?

You’ve tried the "one bite rule," you’ve tried waiting until they’re hungry, but you’re still met with:
❌ An immediate "Eww!"
❌ A meltdown the second a vegetable touches the plate
❌ A child who would rather skip dinner than touch that broccoli

You feel like you’re stuck in a loop of short-order cooking and power struggles. You just want them to be willing to try new foods without the fight! 😫

The secret isn't "making" them eat; it’s shifting them from Refusal Mode to Discovery Mode. 🔎

Try these 3 phrases to lower the pressure tonight:
1️⃣ "You don’t have to eat it. Does it look crunchy or soft?" (Focus on curiosity!)
2️⃣ "It’s okay if you’re not ready to try it yet." (Validates their feelings.)
3️⃣ "This is what we are having to eat right now. But we can have [insert alternative food they are asking for] later (such as at lunch tomorrow)." (Sets a gentle boundary.)

By changing your script, you change the entire atmosphere of your mealtimes. ✨

If you’re ready to be like my clients who:
✨ Have kids willing to explore new foods
✨ See an increase in diet variety
✨ Finally enjoy peaceful family mealtimes

Then let’s find the strategies that work for your family! 💗

Comment or DM "HELP" if you’re ready to finally end the mealtime battles and help your child actually *enjoy* eating more foods! 👇

04/19/2026

What are you meal prepping this week? Check out our simple weeknight dinner formula for busy families: ✔ Carb + protein + produce (fruit/veg). Add-in healthy fats and an optional sweet treat (division of responsibility in feeding) to round it out.

Here’s an example we love!
https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/253043/mini-meatloaves-with-green-beans-potatoes/

04/18/2026

Progress at the table is often invisible… until one day it’s not.

For years my child refused anything green - pushed it away, cried at the sight of green. We stopped forcing bites, kept meals relaxed, offered tiny exposures and let him play with the food. One evening he surprised me by asking for a piece of broccoli and taking a bite. That single moment felt huge because it was the outcome of lots of tiny, unseen steps: sitting through family meals, touching new textures, watching us eat without pressure.

I believe change in eating habits happens in small ways that add up over time. Patience and consistency truly are key. Do you agree, disagree, or see it differently at your table?

04/07/2026

But if I don’t pressure them, they’ll never eat their veggies!” 🥕🥦
I hear this from parents all the time, and honestly, I’ve had moments of feeling this way too.

I remember sitting at the table, watching one of my kids completely ignore the meal I worked so hard to make… and feeling that urge to say, “just take one bite!”

But here’s the thing: pressure often backfires.
It can trigger a stress response that actually shuts down appetite, making kids less likely to try new foods - not more.

When kids feel safe and not pressured, they’re more open to exploring food over time.

Here are 3 few ways to help reduce mealtime stress:

✨ Serve a safe food
So there’s always something your child feels comfortable eating.

✨ Lower the pressure
You decide what, when, and where. They decide if and how much.

✨ Stay consistent
Predictable meals and snacks help regulate hunger and reduce power struggles.

Save this for the next time dinner feels stressful 💛 You’re not alone in this.
📌 And if you’re ready for more support, visit www.fromthestartnutrition.com

04/03/2026

If your child only eats white foods, read this first:

03/27/2026

What if the goal of dinner wasn’t just getting them to eat the broccoli? 🥦

I think about this all the time—especially in the middle of a busy week, when it’s so easy to slip into, “just take one more bite,” mode.

We spend so much energy focusing on what our kids eat and how much… that we can lose sight of something much bigger.

This quote by Ellyn Satter has stayed with me since the very beginning of my career. It’s one of the reasons I do this work. Because feeding kids was never meant to feel like a daily battle - it’s meant to be a relationship we nurture over time.

And that relationship isn’t built in one meal. Or one bite of broccoli.

It’s built in the small, everyday moments:

✨ Sitting together, even when the meal isn’t perfect
✨ Letting our kids listen to their bodies (even when that’s uncomfortable for us)
✨ Creating a space where they feel safe and not pressured

To me, raising a child who is a, “joy to feed,” doesn’t mean they eat everything.

It looks like:

✨ They come to the table (most of the time)
✨ They feel comfortable around food
✨ They trust their hunger and fullness cues
✨ Mealtime feels more like connection than conflict

I’ve seen this not just in my work, but in my own home with my four kids. And I can tell you… when you shift from control → connection, something *magical* really does happen.

The pressure softens.
The power struggles ease.
And little by little, your child starts to feel it too. 💙

And that’s where the real progress begins.

This work is personal to me.

I founded From the Start Nutrition to help families create something so many of us are seeking: peace with food - for themselves, for their children, and for the moments shared around the table.

Because it’s not just about what your child eats. It’s about how your family feels at mealtime.

If you’re ready to feel more confident, supported, and at ease with feeding, send me a DM to schedule a consultation. We have several wonderful Registered Dietitians on staff providing flexible telehealth nutrition appointments and accept most major insurances.

03/16/2026

Would you feed your baby butter to help them sleep? 🧈😴

This surprising trend has been circulating online lately, and parents are understandably curious about whether it actually works.

Beth was recently quoted in an article by (Alexia Dellner) for PureWow discussing the idea of giving babies butter before bed as a “sleep hack.”

In the article, we share what parents should know:
• the truth about butter and sleep for babies
• what actually supports healthy infant feeding and sleep
• the bottom line on the butter trend

When it comes to babies, nutrition trends on social media can spread quickly, but evidence-based and safe feeding guidance matters!

Read the full article at the link in our bio or visit https://www.purewow.com/family/parents-feeding-babies-butter-trend

Follow us ➡️ evidence-based nutrition support for picky eaters, adults tired of dieting, and teens and adults in eating disorder recovery 💙

03/08/2026

Is it a magical sleep solution or social media hype (and is it safe)? Check out this PureWow article to see what our very own dietitian, Beth Conlon, PhD, RDN, has to say about feeding babies butter to help them sleep.

When I started seeing TikToks of parents handing their babies sticks of butter because it supposedly helps them sleep through the night, honestly, I didn’t judge. Butter is delicious! But is it a magical sleep solution? I needed to know.

03/02/2026

March is National Nutrition Month! Discover the power of nutrition.
Small, intentional food choices fuel growth, energy, and lifelong health 🫶🏼

02/25/2026

Wednesday Wins: What’s one way you nourished your child this week? Share below!

02/24/2026

Is your child’s food list getting shorter instead of longer?

If you’re cycling through the same few “safe foods,” know this: limited food range is rarely your or your child's fault. There is usually an underlying reason.

When pediatric dietitians evaluate feeding challenges, we look at three core areas:

1️⃣ Physiology and Medical – How your child’s body functions
This includes sensory processing (how textures, smells, temperatures, and flavors feel in their body), appetite regulation, GI comfort, and nervous system responses to food.

2️⃣ Motor Skills – Gross, fine, and oral motor development
Chewing, moving food around the mouth, coordinating swallowing, sitting posture at the table — all of these skills impact how safe and manageable food feels.

3️⃣ Behaviors – Protective patterns
Sometimes kids restrict foods because something felt uncomfortable before — maybe they gagged, choked, had reflux, felt pressure, or experienced a stressful mealtime. Avoidance can be a smart way their brain tries to stay safe (even when no threat exists).

Pediatric dietitians help families uncover the WHY behind their child's limited food range and build skills step by step.

Nutrition counseling can help your child:

✨ Strengthen underlying skills
✨ Reduce anxiety around new foods
✨ Build confidence through gradual exposure
✨ Replace pressure with practical strategies
✨ Expand variety in a way that feels safe and sustainable

Feeding challenges are real. They are not your fault. And with the right support, they are absolutely workable.

Let’s make food feel safer — one step at a time.

Ready for more peaceful plates? Book a consultation through the link in bio.

is a team of pediatric and family dietitians providing telehealth nutrition counseling and in-person appointments in Warren, NJ.

02/13/2026

💕 Drop some mealtime love this Valentine's Day.

"You don't have to eat it. It's just there for you to learn about."

This simple script is the gift your picky eater needs. Here's why it works:

It removes the power struggle. When kids feel forced to eat, their stress response kicks in—and stressed kids don't explore new foods. By taking away the pressure, you're creating a safe space for curiosity.

It shifts the focus from eating to learning. Foods become less threatening when they're just there to touch, smell, or talk about. This exposure builds familiarity over time, which is the foundation for acceptance.

It honors their autonomy. Kids are more likely to try foods when they feel in control. This script gives them permission to say no while still staying engaged at the table.

Use this at meals when introducing new or challenging foods. Show your little one some love by letting go of the pressure—and watch the tension melt away.

💬 What's one way you're showing mealtime love today? Drop a comment below—we'd love to hear!

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Want more mealtime wins? Schedule a 1:1 appointment with our fabulous dietitians! Link in bio or visit 👉🏼 https://www.fromthestartnutrition.com/contact