Nicole Cruz RD

Nicole Cruz RD Diet-free family nutrition. Helping you & your child have a healthy relationship with food đŸ„‘đŸ§đŸ’

Protecting our kids from body shame does not mean containing the size of their body đŸ©”
01/26/2026

Protecting our kids from body shame does not mean containing the size of their body đŸ©”

Obviously, as a dietitian, I understand that certain nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and Omega-3 fatty acids, among othe...
01/23/2026

Obviously, as a dietitian, I understand that certain nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and Omega-3 fatty acids, among other things, do have health benefits.⁠
⁠
And some things, like trans fats, do not physically promote health.⁠
⁠
But that doesn’t mean you can only eat foods that fit in the first category and never in the second category. ⁠
⁠
I think our desire as humans is to make rigid rules around foods, to put them into categories like: healthy, unhealthy and to make sense of all these facts. But food is far more complex than that.⁠
⁠
Not only does food serve to provide nutrients, but it’s also a connector; it’s part of our culture. And using food to connect socially, with our history or culture, or because it makes us feel happy or comforted are also valid and important reasons to eat.⁠
⁠
⁠Getting too bogged down in the nutrition and labeling foods as good/bad, healthy/unhealthy misses the nuances of food. And it can be incredibly problematic.⁠
⁠
Viewing food only as fuel, makes it mechanical instead of intuitive, can become obsessive, and bases eating on external factors rather than body cues. It can also limit your ability to be flexible and connect with others, and it can take away the pleasure and enjoyment that food is SUPPOSED to bring.⁠
⁠
Food is much more complex than just nutrition and health, and viewing it that way is limiting, not helpful, and potentially harmful.⁠
⁠
Choose foods for your family that provide fuel and energize you and ones that bring you joy and connection 💖

01/21/2026

No matter what your child’s eating behaviors are like


👉 Lack variety and won’t try anything new
👉 Seem to overeat and not listen to their body
👉 Only wants snacks or sweets

We can help them eat in a more balanced way without using pressure, bribes, negotiations, restriction, managing bites.

All of these things tend to backfire anyway, but they also don’t help (and interfere with) your child becoming a confident, competent eater and having a healthy relationship with food.

If you want to learn how to best support your child without creating bigger eating issues, comment here or DM me JANUARY

đŸ©”

You’re doing a great job ♄
01/21/2026

You’re doing a great job ♄

01/20/2026

How we approach food with our children can either instill confidence and trust or create food and body shame.⁠
⁠
So many well meaning and loving parents, who are trying to help their kids eat ‘healthy’ and get the nutrients they need, inadvertently do things that:⁠
1ïžâƒŁ create unbalanced eating AND⁠
2ïžâƒŁ foster guilt and shame.⁠

We don’t want out kids to feel bad about food, like they’re not eating the right amount, that something’s wrong with them
 or to override their body cues by making them eat more.

Our job is to create a positive and supportive environment around food, and then trust them to listen to their body and eat the amount they need đŸ©”

Reactive eating vs Responsive eating. ⁠⁠When we don’t interfere, our kids can listen and respond to their bodies instead...
01/19/2026

Reactive eating vs Responsive eating. ⁠
⁠
When we don’t interfere, our kids can listen and respond to their bodies instead of reacting and trying to regain control.⁠
⁠
AND
 I want to be very clear
 I’m not suggesting that food should be a free-for-all. We want to have some structure, or what I call, supportive guardrails, and then give our kids permission with them. ⁠
⁠
If you’re wondering how to do this, grab my free guide: Comment here or DM me KEYS to download it!

What if the way we feed our children is actually just as important—if not more—than what they eat?⁠⁠When feeding our kid...
01/16/2026

What if the way we feed our children is actually just as important—if not more—than what they eat?⁠
⁠
When feeding our kids, it’s not just about what’s on their plate—it’s about how we approach food.⁠
✹ The energy we bring.⁠
✹ The way we model eating behaviors.⁠
✹ How we talk about food.⁠
⁠
These factors shape not only how our kids feel about food but also their eating habits—and their sense of self.⁠
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This doesn’t mean everyone has to love everything or eat without complaint. Kids will refuse meals, dislike certain foods, or not feel hungry sometimes—and that’s normal. What matters is how we respond.⁠
⁠
We can create a positive and empowering environment by:⁠
✹ Approaching food with calm and curiosity.⁠
✹ Talking about it in fun, neutral ways—like colors, shapes, and textures.⁠
✹ Showing our kids how we enjoy food without pressure or guilt.⁠
⁠
Instead of creating fear and negativity by:⁠
đŸš« Using rigid rules or pressure about eating.⁠
đŸš« Talking about foods as “good” or “bad” or warn of “unhealthy” consequences.⁠
đŸš« Pressuring, arguing, or bribing to eat.⁠
⁠
Ask yourself: What small shift could make meals more joyful in your home?

01/16/2026

Restriction —> Scarcity & Deprivation —> Preoccupation & Obsession

Permission to eat = Permission to stop when you’ve had enough.

If your child seems obsessed with sweets, look for ways they might feel like they’re not supposed to have them:
✹the language around healthy/ unhealthy, a sometimes food
✹regularly limiting them
✹ getting upset when they ask - saying “you’ve had enough”

01/15/2026

Trying to eat “clean”?

I get it - we hear this all the time - cleaning up my diet, clean products, clean ingredients, doing a cleanse


But honestly, what does that really mean? And if you’re not eating clean - are you eating dirty?

There’s nothing wrong with trying to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables, products with fewer additives, or looking at ingredients.

At the same time, how much time and energy are you putting into it? Are you enjoying those foods? Is it causing you stress? Is it creating a sense of deprivation?

Or as you do it, are you letting food determine how you feel about who you are. Because what you eat, means NOTHING about who you are as a person.

There are a million things we can focus on, and sometimes food ends up playing a bigger role in our lives than it needs to.

There are other things that help us feel a bit more sane and organized as well - like cleaning your car, getting the laundry done, decluttering your toy bin, or cleaning out the random drawer in the kitchen.

Not to mention, we really want to think about the language we use around food and how it might impact the waive think and feel about food, as well as how our kids relate to it 🧡

The more we pressure kids to “clean their plate” or “take just two more bites,” the more we teach them to ignore their o...
01/14/2026

The more we pressure kids to “clean their plate” or “take just two more bites,” the more we teach them to ignore their own hunger cues.

When we override their internal signals about fullness, we’re unintentionally training them to eat based on external rules rather than what their body is telling them.

Kids are born knowing how to self-regulate. They eat when they’re hungry and stop when they’re full.

But when we insist they finish everything or take more bites, we disconnect them from that natural ability.

This can set up a lifelong pattern of ignoring body cues around food, which can contribute to disordered eating, emotional eating, or a complicated relationship with hunger and fullness.

Instead, we can trust that they know their bodies.

Our job is to provide a variety of options and structure around meals. Their job is to decide how much to eat.

It’s not always easy, but respecting their signals now helps them stay connected to their body for life.

01/13/2026

It’s hard to believe this advice is given to parents
 cut back on carbs, cut out sugar, do a keto diet 😭

I can’t make this $ #!T up! I’ve had parents come to sharing that their pediatrician, family, coach, etc - gave them this advice. And if you’ve thought about it for your kid - totally get it!!!

It’s hard to know what the ‘right’ thing to do is when you’re concerned about your child.

But restriction isn’t the answer. Not only is it ineffective, especially long-term, but it’s also likely to backfire and make your child want those foods even more - think sneaking and hiding.

And even more, it often translates to feeling bad about their body - guilt, shame, something’s wrong with me. And not being able to trust themselves with food.

It’s not our job to try and control their body size, but there are better ways to help our kids eat in a balanced way and grow into the body that’s right for them ♄

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