The Intentional Table

Nicole Cruz, MS, RDN
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Feeding kids isn’t just about what’s on the plate - it’s about raising them to feel confident, capable, and at peace with food and their bodies. The Intentional Table Podcast is here to help you break the cycles of guilt, shame,  and mealtime stress so you can raise kids who eat well and feel good about it. Hosted by Nicole Cruz, a registered dietitian and mom of three who has coached thousands of parents, this podcast gives you the tools, structure, and mindset shifts to create a positive, empowered eating environment at home. With guidance, compassion, and strategies that really work, you’ll feel more confident and less stressed while supporting your kids through 'picky' eating, 'overeating', struggles with sweets, and everything in between.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    A Third Way to Feed Your Kids: Beyond Pressure and Permissiveness

    ✨ FREE Training for parents --> SIGN UP HERE! We all want the same things for our kids: to eat well, get the nutrition they need, and have a healthy relationship with food. But how do we actually make that happen? Most parents find themselves on one of two paths, or often bouncing back and forth because neither one feels quite right. You might be trying to help your child eat well by encouraging bites, limiting sweets, or teaching them about "healthy foods." But it's creating tension at meals and you worry you could be passing down negative messages about food. Or maybe you've gone in the opposite direction - because you don't want to make food be a 'thing'. But you worry that you're not supporting your child and helping them get what they need. Here's what I want you to know: there's a third path. One where you get to be the parent and the guide, creating structure and support around food - while still giving your child real freedom and autonomy within that structure. In this episode, I'm walking through: The three different paths parents take when it comes to feeding their kidsWhat each path actually creates - for your child's eating, their relationship with food, and your stress level at homeWhy that third path (the empowered eating environment) will change your meals, your home, and your child's relationship with food long-term.When you understand these different approaches and where you might be stuck, you can finally move toward a way of feeding your family that feels good - and sets your child up for a lifetime of trusting themselves with food. Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    20 min

  2. 30 JAN

    Are You Working Against Your Child's Eating Personality?

    ✨ FREE Training for parents --> SIGN UP HERE! We're going to cut through all the conflicting advice and show you how you can help your child eat well without using pressure or bribes... or getting into power struggles or creating bigger food issues. You've heard the advice:  "My kids have to at least try it.""Don't keep it in the house if you don't want them to eat it.""If they don't eat their dinner, no dessert."But when you try these strategies, they either backfire completely - or they seem to work in the moment but you know something doesn't feel right. Here's what most feeding advice gets wrong: it assumes all kids will respond the same way to the same approach. But your strong-willed child, your sensory-sensitive child, your people-pleaser... They'll all react differently. In this episode, we're diving into how your child's personality and natural preferences with food interact with your feeding approach - and why conventional advice often backfires. In this episode, I'm breaking down: The three layers that interact at the table: personality, natural  tendencies with food, and feeding dynamicsReal examples of how the same feeding concern (picky eating, sweets obsession, overeating) can have completely different root causes depending on your childWhy conventional approaches create either rebellion, anxiety, or compliance - but not a healthy relationship with foodWhat we do instead: creating a complete supportive environment where your child can develop their own healthy relationship with foodWhen we understand how these layers interact, we can stop blaming ourselves when advice doesn't work. We can stop thinking our kid is just difficult. And we can start seeing them clearly and responding to what they actually need. Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    33 min

  3. 22 JAN

    The One Thing That Undermines Everything Else You're Doing

    If you're listening to this podcast, you're investing time and energy into changing how you feed your kids. And of course... you want to see it work. That's exactly what we need to talk about today, because this approach will change how your child eats, and you have to stop caring whether it does. In this episode, we're diving into one of the hardest parts of this work: detachment. Detaching from the outcome of what and how your child actually eats. Because when we focus too much on whether they're eating "right" or whether the approach is "working," it backfires. In this episode, I'm breaking down: Why watching too closely for results undermines the approach (and how kids pick up on our energy even when we think we're hiding it)What detachment actually looks like in practice - and what it doesn't meanWhy your child is on their own timeline and we have to trust the processHow this work is layered in its impact and it's not just about what your child is eatingThe bigger picture and it's effects on your child's physical, mental, and emotional healthWhen we can detach from the outcome, it's not only helpful for our kids and their behaviors with food, but it's also freeing. Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    20 min

  4. 15 JAN

    Why Division of Responsibility Isn't Working (And What's Actually Missing)

    Are you familiar with the Division of Responsibility (DOR)? Maybe you've read ALL the Ellyn Satter books. You're trying follow DOR to a tee - you're doing your job and letting your child do their job with food... and it feels like something's still missing. Or maybe DOR is brand new to you or you've heard it mentioned somewhere in your parenting journey. Either way, you're going to love this episode. In this episode, I'm breaking down: What Division of Responsibility is and the research that backs it upWhy DOR can feel rigid, controlling, or impossible to maintain - and that's not your faultWhat DOR is actually missing and why you need moreHow you can use this approach as an overarching approach with other tools and strategiesIf you've been wondering why the framework that's supposed to reduce stress is actually creating more, or why it's just not working, this episode is for you. Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    37 min

  5. 9 JAN

    3 Beliefs You Need to Raise Balanced Eaters During Diet Season

    Diet culture is loudest in January. And it's so easy to feel like we should be doing more, or trying to eat 'better', or do something to change the way we look... when we're inundated with this message EVERYWHERE! In this episode, I'm breaking down three foundational beliefs that will transform how you approach food in your family, and help you hold onto what's important to you when the rest of the world is screaming lose weight, detox, it's time for a new you. We can talk all about tools and strategies (and we do) but what really drives how we navigate food and how our kids end up thinking, feeling, and interacting with it - is deeper than that.  These are the three core beliefs we want to adopt as we move into the new year: 1. We're Feeding for the Future 2. Kids Need Support, Not Control 3. Health Is Bigger Than Food, Weight, and Exercise Your beliefs drive your behavior. Tools and strategies won't work if you're operating from fear or urgency. Reflection: Which belief do you need to focus on right now? Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    15 min

  6. 24/12/2025

    7 Lessons I've Learned About Feeding Kids This Year

    As the year comes to a close, many parents naturally start reflecting... what felt good, what felt heavy, and what do they want to change moving into the new year - new systems and routines, projects to work on, changes with the kids... In this episode, I'm breaking down seven lessons or themes that stood out most from recent conversations with parents. We're talking about what actually made the biggest changes with food and how one parent said "Our whole life has changed." You’ll hear why big change rarely comes from one “right” decision, why the overall feel of food in your home matters more than any single moment, and why support, reflection, and community play such a big role in helping families move forward. And spoiler alert: Your child doesn't need to be fixed! As you head into the new year, it’s an invitation to pause and ask: How does food feel right now and how do I want it to feel moving forward? Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    36 min

  7. 18/12/2025

    When You're Judged for How You Feed Your Kids

    The holidays often bring more than just parties and sweets... they bring more people, more opinions, and a lot more eyes on how we’re parenting - especially around food. For many parents, this time of year amplifies feelings of judgment around food: comments from grandparents, side-eyes from relatives, comparisons to cousins, or even the internal pressure we place on ourselves when our child eats differently than others. In this episode, we’re talking about why feeding kids can feel so charged during the holidays, how diet culture and family dynamics play a role, and what it really means to feel confident in your approach - even when others don’t understand it. We’ll explore how this work can feel countercultural, why judgment can bring up frustration, anger, sadness, or self-doubt, and how to stay grounded when you’re trying to protect your child’s relationship with food. You’ll learn: Why judgment around food feels especially intense during the holidaysWhy this approach to feeding kids can feel uncomfortable - and why that doesn’t mean it’s wrongHow your own experiences with food growing up can get activated in these momentsThe importance of getting clear on your values and approach with foodPractical, non-confrontational ways to set boundaries or redirect commentsIf you’ve ever left a holiday gathering feeling upset, defensive, or questioning yourself as a parent, this episode is here to remind you: you know what’s best for your family. And you don’t need anyone else’s approval for how you parent around food. Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    18 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    Is Letting Kids Eat Whatever They Want During the Holidays Diet Culture in Disguise?

    The holidays are full of sweets, parties, and what some might describe as chaos. It can be an overwhelming time of year, especially for parents, as we try to buy and wrap gifts, attend all the festivities, travel, have family visits... and still maintain our normal parental responsibilities. And while navigating it all, the diet culture messaging is arguably at a high this time of year.  From the “be good now so you can indulge later” messaging to cheat days and guilt-free marketing, diet culture subtly (and not-so-subtly) can creep in to how we handling food with our kids. In this episode we're going to identify if and when this mindset is creeping in and how it might influence the way we handle meals and snacks with our kids. You’ll learn: Why some parents feel relaxed while others feel stressed around holiday food - and how diet culture might be influencing both.The difference between a temporary “holiday free pass” and true ease with food.How kids respond to structure - or lack of it - around food during the holidays.Practical ways to maintain a sense of intentionality without pressure, guilt, or the need to “fix it later.”Stories from parents, like Marie, showing how mindset shifts can help kids feel safe and confident around sweets and other foods.If you want to enjoy the holidays without tension, guilt, or stress, while supporting your kids in developing a healthy relationship with food, this episode is for you. Resources & Links Mentioned: Making Sense of Sweets programPrevious episode: Food Is Not a Free-for-All (Episode 3)Want to connect? Send us a text! Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE! CONNECT with Nicole: - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD - Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, it would mean so much for you to follow, subscribe, share, or leave a review. Your support helps us reach more conscious and loving parents who need these insight! Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!

    21 min
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About

Feeding kids isn’t just about what’s on the plate - it’s about raising them to feel confident, capable, and at peace with food and their bodies. The Intentional Table Podcast is here to help you break the cycles of guilt, shame,  and mealtime stress so you can raise kids who eat well and feel good about it. Hosted by Nicole Cruz, a registered dietitian and mom of three who has coached thousands of parents, this podcast gives you the tools, structure, and mindset shifts to create a positive, empowered eating environment at home. With guidance, compassion, and strategies that really work, you’ll feel more confident and less stressed while supporting your kids through 'picky' eating, 'overeating', struggles with sweets, and everything in between.

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole Cruz, MS, RDN
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Intentional Table
  • Show Website
    The Intentional Table
  • Provider

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