53 | Gather 'Round: How to Make Family Meals Doable for Busy Parents With Picky Kids

Exam Room Nutrition: Where Busy Clinicians Learn About Nutrition

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Let's be real - getting a meal on the table after a long work day is so tough. Juggling an infant and a wiggly picky toddler makes the mealtime experience exhausting. But yet, study after study proves family meals are crucial to children's mental, physical and emotional heath. In today's episode, we're joined by Registered Dietitian Sarah Schlichter to explore practical tips for transforming family meals from stressful events into joyful experiences.
Key Takeaways:

• Involve the Kids: Assigning each child a job in meal preparation or serving fosters positive exposure to new foods without pressure to eat them. Younger children can wash fruits and vegetables, while older ones can safely cut and season ingredients.
• Mindset Shift: Embrace flexibility and lower expectations to make family meals more enjoyable for both parents and children.
• Location Variety: Consider picnics, eating under the table, or dining outside for a change of scenery.
• Creating Memories: Focus on the experience of dining together (who doesn't love dressing up for dinner?!) rather than solely on the food consumed.

Connect with Sarah | https://www.bucketlisttummy.com/

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.