11/21/2025
There's a lot of chatter (borderline auditory chaos) at our nightly dinner table.
But among all the jabbering, here's what's missing:
There's no talk about nutrition.
No labelling food as "grow foods," "fun foods," etc.
No promoting how "yummy" a food is or insisting that my girls will "love it."
There's no re-branding of foods ("super carrots!" "candy pears!") to try to further peak my kids interest.
No arguing that my kid does, in fact, like a food that they are currently refusing.
No directives to try a food, take one bite, put a portion on their plate.
And, most importantly, no mention of what they've eaten, what they haven't, portion size, or "number of bites."
Why?
Because as a kids' dietitian, I know that such commentary is far from helpful.
It keeps kids disconnected from the moment.
It increases anxiety.
It puts them on defense.
It puts them on offense.
It invites conflict and power struggles.
Instead, I put a meal on the table and let my kids self serve.
I let them eat as much or as little as they want, without seeking my approval.
We talk about the day, about upcoming events, tell jokes, play games, and quell (lots) of sibling bickering.
But we avoid the constant food talk.
And I think you should, too.
So a challenge for you: take the focus off the food. For a night, a week, a month.
It's one of the easiest changes you can make to immediately reduce stress and conflict at mealtime.
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And follow along for more tips and tricks from this whose here in the thick of it with you.
