The Intentional Table

Nicole Cruz, MS, RDN
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Parenting

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. 2d ago

    "Unhealthy" Isn't a Fact (It's a Judgment)

    Last week, as we were gearing up for back to school, I made a post asking parents not to label foods as junk, bad, or unhealthy. And people got fired up about it. Way more than I expected. The comments kept coming back to the same idea: that "unhealthy" isn't a judgment, it's just the truth. That some foods are simply bad, and we should be teaching our kids that. I'm not sharing this to talk about the pushback I got. I'm sharing because those comments show how deeply we hold these beliefs, and how rarely we stop to ask whether they're actually true, or whether they've just become ingrained in the way we approach food.  Not to mention, do we ever look at whether these ideas about food are actually helpful? In this episode, I'm covering: → Why no single food is simply "healthy" or "unhealthy" → The comment from a mom of a child with ARFID → What actually happens to kids down the road when we ban and label foods (including a story from a dad who lived it) → Why the harm isn't just about the food, but about what kids come to believe about themselves → How to make a more informed choice about food talk in your home, wherever you are and however old your kids are If you still struggle with making food sound neutral, or wonder if you really should be teaching your child more about what's "healthy" or "unhealthy", listen in! ✅ More on food neutrality - Episode 4, "All Food Is Not Equal"  Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

  2. Jul 24

    How Do I Change My Kid's Food for a Medical Reasons... Without Creating Stress or Anxiety?

    We all want to take care of our kids' bodies. So when there's a real medical reason to change how they eat, whether that's adding something in or cutting something out, we want to do it to support their health and to help them feel good. And at the same time, we don't want food to feel more stressful. We don't want to put pressure on them, make them anxious, or create a whole new issue around eating. So we end up bouncing between two paths, either making the change happen no matter what, or tiptoeing around it and doing nothing. But it doesn't have to be one or the other. We can help our kids make changes to what they're eating for specific medical concerns, while still protecting their relationship with food. In this episode, I talk about: → Why changing food for a medical issue is different than doing it to "be healthy" → How to be proactive and shift what you're providing so you don't make it a "thing" for your child → The difference between adding foods in and taking foods out, and where to start → Specific tips for dealing with constipation, that are also applicable to other conditions → How to talk to your kid directly when you need to, in a way that's concrete instead of scary If you're navigating a medical need, and feel like you need to make some dietary changes but aren't quite sure how, listen in! ✅ Training: How to Talk to Your Child About Nutrition Without Guilt or Shame — $27, includes video + PDF, broken down by age group from 2 through the teen years Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

  3. Jul 16

    The Problem With the "No Thank You Bite"

    We all want our kids to try new foods. I mean, let's be real. It's soooo frustrating when they say "I don't like it" when they've never even tried it. So a "no thank you bite" seems like the perfect solution: You don't have to eat it, but you have to try it. Just one bite, and then you can say no thank you. It's low-stakes, it comes from the best intentions, and they might even like it. So why not do a "no thank you bite"? I got this question twice from clients in the same week, so I know you might be wondering about it too. In this episode, I break down what the no thank you bite actually does at the table, what the research says about pressure and kids' eating, and why the concept itself isn't the problem. In this episode, we talk about: What the no thank you bite is (and why so many well-meaning parents use it)The "finish your soup" study, and what it tells us about pressure at the tableThe real difference between a rule and an invitationThree paths forward depending on what's happening at your table right nowExactly what to do if you've been enforcing the bite and want to change the rulesIf you've ever sat at the table wondering whether making your kid take that one bite is helping or hurting, this episode will give you a clear answer and a next step you can use tonight. ✅ Research: "Finish your soup": Counterproductive effects of pressuring children to eat on intake and affect (Galloway et al., 2006, Appetite) Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

  4. Jul 9

    What I Actually Fed My Kids on Vacation (and how you can do it too)

    Navigating food during the summer can feel like a whole lot of stress. Vacations, eating out, swim parties, sweets galore, lack of structure... I get it! I just got back from a two-week baseball trip with my family - managing tons of restaurants, games ending at odd times, italian ice at by the pool. It's a lot! We had an eight hour drive to kick off the trip followed by four flights and two hotels in between.  In this episode, we talk about: How to help your kid eat in a balanced way even when eating out all the timeWhat to keep in your hotel room at the bare minimum (and the hotel tip I wish someone had told me sooner)How to think about your role at restaurants - and what to let them order or notMeal and snack ideas for on the go (especially when it's long periods)How to have a rhythm and hold boundaries around things like ice cream and sodaWhat I packed that sent people into a frenzy on Instagram and what actually ended up happeningIf you're in the middle of summer and wondering how to navigate the lack of structure and countless sweets, or if you're anticipating your next week away - listen in! Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

  5. Jun 11

    The Fastest Way to Make Your Kid Not Eat

    If you know, you know... The more we remind, encourage, and gently push our kids to do something, the less they want to do it. Even when they already know. Even when we're right. My daughter said it to me out loud last week. My husband asked her to clean her room before family came over, and she looked at him and said, "Ugh! know. And when you say that, it just makes me not want to do it even more." She wasn't being difficult. She was telling the truth. And it's the exact thing that happens with food all the time. Except it's usually unspoken. In this episode, I'm sharing a few things I've been sitting with lately, including a peek at what I've been building behind the scenes and two real moments from my family that might shift how you think about food with your kids. In this episode, we talk about: Why reminding, encouraging, and pushing kids to eat creates more resistance, not lessWhat my daughter said out loud that most kids only feel quietlyHow my daughter tried tomatoes for the first time and then asked for them again 🙌Why my son now puts lettuce on his burgers at home, and how a Big Mac made that happenWhat the research says about kids who find pleasure in food versus kids focused on nutrition rulesWhether you have a "picky" eater, a kiddo you're worried eats too much, one who's obsessed with sweets, or all of the above - this episode's for you! ✨ DM me 'BALANCED' on Instagram and I'll send you the link to my free training! Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

  6. May 29

    Weight Gain Isn't the Problem

    When your child's weight goes up at their yearly physical, your pediatrician might comment that you should make some changes.  Or maybe you see a post on social media telling you what changes to make if your child has gained weight.  It can be really confusing. And it might leave you questioning what changes to make, or feeling like you should be cutting back on portions, or getting rid of "junk". In this episode, we talk about: Why weight is one piece of data, not a diagnosis or a directiveThe questions worth asking before changing anything, including what might actually be driving weight changes that have nothing to do with foodWhy significant weight gain around ages 9 to 11 is often the body doing exactly what it's supposed to doHow restriction, even subtle, can create the very eating patterns we're most worried aboutWhat to do when a provider tells you to make changes, and how to advocate for your childIf you've ever left a pediatrician's appointment feeling like something was wrong with your child's body, and nobody thought to ask how things were actually going, this episode is for you. Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

  7. May 21

    My Kid Won't Try Anything New - Where Do I Start?

    If you have a "picky" eater, you've probably already tried to encourage them to take a bite, bribed with dessert, or even had a standoff at the table over food. Or maybe you've just given up and you make them something separate because, let's be real, they need to eat. And regardless of where you're at, chances are it doesn't feel great. Most of us want our kids to eat a variety, to be able to go out to a restaurant and find something on the menu, to make one meal the whole family will eat.  So it's frustrating when you feel like you're stuck in the same patterns and not sure what else to do. That's why I'm breaking down EXACTLY where to start if you're stuck in the "picky" eating cycle. In this episode, we talk about: Why kids are picky and how that matters in your approach How to support your child without unintentionally making it worse The first three steps every parent can take with food (even if you don't have a "picky" eater)What holding the boundary actually looks like - without creating battles at the tableWhat to do when they skip dinner and come back hungry 30 minutes laterIf you have a kid who won't try anything new and you want to stop fighting about food, this is for you! Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

  8. May 14

    How We Teach Kids to Ignore Their Bodies

    You've probably already heard that pressuring kids to eat backfires. It will likely make them more resistant to eat the things you want them to eat. But even when we know it - sometimes it's hard to not do it... even when it's not really effective. But the thing is, it's not only that it's ineffective or that it will likely backfire. It's likely interfering with your child's long-term relationship with food and how they connect to their body. In this episode, we talk about: Why the short-term reactions we see are only part of the pictureWhat's happening underneath the surface - and why this is actually the far more important consequenceThe long-term impact of controlling feeding dynamics, including what it looks like in adultsWhy your child's body cues are actually their best tool for a lifetime of healthy eatingA simple check-in to notice where this might still be sneaking into your own mealtimesIf you've ever caught yourself saying "just one more bite" and wondered if it's really that big a deal - you'll want to listen to this one! Want to connect? Send us a text! CONNECT with Nicole: FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food - Instagram: @nicolecruzRD 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!

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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
    43
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Intentional Table
  • Show Website
    The Intentional Table

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