We have an awesome show for you this week! Jennifer Anderson from Kids Eat in Color is here. She is talking about all things feeding kids! Jennifer started out on Instagram wanting to connect with other moms who were struggling to feed their kids a well rounded diet. Her community grew and so did her knowledge, and before she knew it she had 1.6 million followers! How did my kid become a picky eater despite my best effort with baby-led weaning? Jennifer drops a truth bomb on us…its a myth. Laci wonders why her kids are picky eaters and it might just have something to do with genetics. We love Jennifer’s explanation of this! What is an extremely picky eater? Crystal tells the story about her daughter not eating anything at preschool for a year! Jennifer explains how to help a child branch out from the few foods they will eat to be able to adapt to new foods. One day they like a food, the next they don’t, the foods can’t touch, the foods need to be mixed…help! I had a great eater and now they are two and won’t eat anything! Do you have a healthy foundation? It starts with taking the pressure off of your kid. Instead, focus on coming together and giving your kid the food or foods they will eat. Keep the pressure low by having the new food on the table. It's there, they see it, and eventually, they might try it! What is an age appropriate amount of time at the table? Hint - it’s probably short. Jennifer’s tip is to start with a timer. Set it to a small amount of time and move the timer up to find the max attention span. When you’re done, you’re done! The dreaded snacking… Ellen discusses her struggles with snacks at home, what she offers, and how this interferes with mealtime. What’s the best solution? Jennifer breaks this down… its a cultural thing in the U.S. and in fact too much snacking can interfere with their natural hunger cues. Tune in to hear her best tips! Jennifer talks about the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and how this public health initiative is helping families thrive. She addresses some common misconceptions about WIC and how this program can be best utilized. What is a food desert? Simply put, it is a lack of access to a variety of healthy foods. This can be urban or rural. Jennifer breaks down the dynamics that make up a food desert and explains the misconceptions around poverty. Everyone is sick. It’s that time of the year. How do I keep my kid as healthy as possible? Jennifer talks about how important hydration is. She explains that kids will lose their appetite when they are sick, but keeping them hydrated is key. Their appetite will come back. Ease back into their normal diet and avoid any special diet or new foods. Hear her opinion on elderberry! So many nuggets of info on this episode! Follow Jennifer for more tips: Website: https://kidseatincolor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kids.eat.in.color/ Freebies: Mom's budget-friendly guide to getting picky eaters to try new foods Baby-led weaning is the next 'breast is best,' but it's not the only option. Here are 3 tips for introducing solids to your child. Baby-Led Weaning is Becoming the New 'Breast is Best'—But It's Time to Squash Both About Jennifer Anderson: Jennifer Anderson is a registered dietitian with a master of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She is the founder and CEO of Kids Eat In Color - the leading resource for helping get kids on the path to eating better without the mealtime battles. About Kids Eat in Color Jennifer Anderson is the founder of Kids Eat in Color. Kids Eat in Color is now a team of experts that helps parents end food battles and teach their kids to try new foods. Jennifer has been featured on Good Morning America, Insider, Parents giving perspective and highlighting social discrepancies as it pertains to access to food and resources and the harm of misinformation in child nutrition. The Better Bites course is our online program for parents who want to decrease their stress and get their child on the road to eating more foods. Follow the hosts on Instagram - @mslacilea @ellenlauletta @stl_injector Email: scrubcapsandsippycups@gmail.com Facebook: Scrub Caps and Sippy Cups Instagram: @heysmartmommas
