How to Un Picky Your Picky Eater

Christine Miroddi Yoder
  • 3.9 (16)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Bimonthly

Is your child a picky eater? Maybe they are fussy about trying new foods or actually have a fear of trying new foods. In this podcast, we learn tips and strategies on how to get your picky eaters enjoying mealtimes by shifting mindset, working with their sensory system, improving their oral motor skills, remediating gut issues and more. Your host is a mom and a pediatric feeding therapist with extensive training in oral motor, speech, sensory feeding, mindset, and nutrition. We talk everything from breastfeeding to detoxing and everything in between! Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christine-miroddi-yoder/support

  1. May 18

    The 1 Thing 80% of Parents Miss (And It's Costing Them)

    In this episode, we break down one of the most important foundations in preventing picky eating from expanding: the Plate Boundary. Many parents unintentionally shrink their child’s food repertoire by offering unlimited refills of preferred foods. Over time, this leads to children skipping other foods on the plate—until once-accepted foods like fruits or vegetables begin to drop off the “safe foods” list. You’ll learn how to stop this pattern using a simple but powerful structure that stabilizes mealtimes and protects food variety. We walk through: • Why unlimited preferred foods can actually increase pickiness • What the Plate Boundary is and how it works • The difference between “accepted foods” and “learning foods” • How to set up plates correctly so variety is naturally maintained • Exact scripts to use when your child asks for more • What to expect in the first few weeks of implementation • Common parent challenges (and how to respond without breaking the boundary) You’ll also learn when NOT to use the boundary—especially with new or learning foods—so you can support exploration without pressure. This is a foundational shift in how you structure meals. When implemented consistently, it helps prevent foods from dropping off your child’s accepted list and creates the conditions for a more flexible, varied eater over time. Everything else in picky eating work builds on this stability.

    21 min

  2. May 4

    How I Turned My Husband Into a Steak Guy — and What It Taught Me About Picky Eaters

    What do picky husbands and picky kids have in common? More than you'd think. In this episode, I'm sharing a little story from my own kitchen — how I spent years assuming my husband didn't like steak, never made it, and just… accepted it as fact. Turns out, I was wrong. And once I actually set a goal and committed to a slow, low-pressure approach, it didn't take long at all. In this episode you'll learn: Why assumptions are the enemy — and how skipping exposure keeps picky eating stuck The power of starting where your child is comfortable instead of where you want them to be How to modify gradually so new foods don't feel scary or forced Why no expectations + one meal at a time is the mindset that actually moves the needle What it looks like when kids (and husbands!) take ownership of trying something new If you've been avoiding a food because you think your kid hates it… this episode is your sign to try again. 🎧 Listen, share, and tag a parent who needs to hear this one!

    9 min

  3. Apr 20

    Why Won't My Child Eat Any Food?

    Worried Your Child Isn’t Eating Enough? If your child is: Eating fewer foods (not more) Refusing meals more intensely over time Making mealtimes stressful or overwhelming You’ve probably heard: “It’s just a phase.” But what if it’s not? In today’s episode, we break down the difference between typical picky eating and when something deeper is going on—and why waiting it out can actually make things worse. 🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode The key difference between normal picky eating and feeding struggles Why “just wait it out” can backfire The real reasons kids refuse food (it’s not just behavior) Red flags that signal it’s more than a phase How to shift from forcing food → to understanding what’s getting in the way The first step to getting your child unstuck

    12 min

  4. Apr 6

    What To Do When Your Child Refuses To Eat Dinner

    What To Do When Your Child Refuses To Eat Dinner What do you do when your child refuses to eat dinner? If you’ve tried making separate meals, pushing “just one bite,” or hoping they’ll eat when they’re hungry—but nothing seems to work—this episode is for you. We break down why dinner is often the hardest meal of the day for picky eaters, what’s actually happening when your child refuses food, and why common strategies can make things worse. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to start approaching dinner differently—without turning it into a battle. Because dinner refusal isn’t just about the food… it’s a sign that something deeper may be getting in the way. 🎯 Ready to take the next step? If you’re not sure why your child is refusing meals, start here: 👉 Take the quiz: www.thepickyeaterstest.com Already know your child is stuck in the Fearful or Stuck stage? 👉 Visit our website to learn more about how we help families move forward: www.foodologyfeedingtherapy.com

    12 min

  5. Mar 23

    Let's Play 20 Questions....

    Why does my child gag on food? Why will they only eat snacks? Did I cause this? If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, you are not alone. These are the exact questions parents ask us every single week when they call Foodology Feeding Therapy looking for help with picky eating, food refusal, gagging, sensory challenges, and mealtime stress. In this episode, I answer 20 of the most common questions parents ask about picky eating. But something interesting happens as we go through them… Most of these questions actually point back to the same underlying issues. Because picky eating is rarely just about the food. Instead, feeding challenges are often connected to deeper factors like: • Nervous system safety • Sensory processing • Oral motor skills • Feeding experiences • Gut health • Structure and environment around meals When those pieces aren’t working together, quick tips like “just offer it more” or “have them take one bite” can actually make things worse. In this episode we talk about: • When picky eating is normal — and when it’s not • Why some children panic around new foods • Why kids refuse dinner but ask for snacks later • What gagging and spitting food out actually mean • The real reason many kids refuse vegetables • Why forcing bites often backfires • Why picky eating is almost never caused by just one thing And most importantly — how understanding the reason behind the behavior completely changes how you approach mealtimes. Because once you identify what’s actually blocking your child’s eating, progress becomes much more possible. Take the Next Step If this episode sounds exactly like your child, the best place to start is identifying your child’s stage of eating. Inside our program we categorize picky eaters into three stages: Fearful – food feels unsafe and overwhelming Stuck – limited foods but some willingness Curious – starting to explore new foods The strategies that help a curious eater can completely backfire for a fearful eater. Take the quiz to find your child’s stage: Take the Picky Eater Quiz: https://thepickyeaterstest.com

    31 min

  6. Mar 9

    Why Food Exposure Isn't Working

    Many parents are told that the solution to picky eating is simple: “Just keep exposing them to new foods.” So they put new foods on the plate. They keep offering them. They follow the “no pressure” rule. And yet… nothing changes. In this episode, we unpack why food exposure sometimes fails — and what most feeding advice is missing. Exposure is not just a parenting strategy. It’s a nervous system process. If exposure doesn’t match your child’s stage of readiness, it can unintentionally increase resistance instead of building comfort. In this episode, I explain the three nervous system stages that influence how children respond to food exposure: • The Fearful stage — when the nervous system prioritizes safety and predictability • The Stuck stage — when children can tolerate food nearby but resist interaction or change • The Curious stage — when children begin to explore, taste, and expand variety Understanding these stages helps explain why some children progress quickly with exposure while others seem to get more rigid. We’ll also discuss why feeding progress requires more than repetition — and how factors like sensory processing, oral motor skills, gut comfort, and mindset all influence a child’s readiness for new foods. If you’ve been offering foods over and over without progress, this episode will help you understand why that happens and what may be missing. In This Episode We Discuss • Why the common advice to “just keep offering it” doesn’t work for every child • How the nervous system influences picky eating • The difference between exposure and readiness • The three stages children move through when expanding their diet • Why some children need more structured support to progress with food Take the Next Step If you’re not sure which nervous system stage your child is in, start with the quiz: Take the Picky Eater Quiz: 👉 https://thepickyeaterstest.com  The quiz will help you determine whether your child is in the Fearful, Stuck, or Curious stage and what that means for their feeding progress. If you already know your child is in the Fearful or Stuck stage, that’s where our deeper work happens. You can learn more about the Mealtime Roadmap program here: 👉 https://foodologyfeeding.mykajabi.com/mealtime-roadmap Inside the program we help families move step-by-step from Fearful → Stuck → Curious → Foodie using a whole-child approach that addresses sensory processing, oral motor skills, gut health, and mindset. Connect With Christine Website: https://foodologyfeeding.com  Take the Quiz: https://thepickyeaterstest.com

    13 min

  7. Feb 23

    Why Does My Child Gag on Certain Textures? (When It’s Normal — and When It’s Not)

    Why does your child gag on certain textures — and when should you be concerned? In this episode, we break down when gagging is developmentally normal, what age it should decrease, and the red flags that signal something deeper. You’ll learn the four root causes of persistent gagging — oral motor skills, sensory processing, anxiety, and gut inflammation — and what actually helps reduce it. If your child is still gagging past age two, this episode will give you clarity and direction.

    11 min

  8. Feb 16

    Why So Many Kids Have Allergies Now (And How It Creates Picky Eaters)

    Food allergies in kids are more common than ever — but what if the real impact isn’t just eczema or reflux? In this episode, holistic feeding therapist Christine breaks down why allergies have skyrocketed, how early gut discomfort can train the brain to avoid food, and why picky eating is often rooted in biology — not behavior. If your child struggles with food, this episode will change how you see it.

    20 min
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3.9
out of 5
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About

Is your child a picky eater? Maybe they are fussy about trying new foods or actually have a fear of trying new foods. In this podcast, we learn tips and strategies on how to get your picky eaters enjoying mealtimes by shifting mindset, working with their sensory system, improving their oral motor skills, remediating gut issues and more. Your host is a mom and a pediatric feeding therapist with extensive training in oral motor, speech, sensory feeding, mindset, and nutrition. We talk everything from breastfeeding to detoxing and everything in between! Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christine-miroddi-yoder/support

Information

  • Creator
    Christine Miroddi Yoder
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    159
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Christine Miroddi Yoder
  • Show Website
    How to Un Picky Your Picky Eater

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