The Intentional Table

Nicole Cruz, MS, RDN
  • 5.0 (8)
  • 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. 12H AGO

    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: - 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!

    16 min

  2. MAY 7

    Why Your Kid Won't Eat Vegetables (and what you can do!)

    You put broccoli on their plate and they won't touch it. You try again. And again. And still nothing. But what if you just don't have the right strategy yet? In this episode, we talk about: Why more exposure alone isn't always the answer - and what else you needTons of ideas for preparing, serving, and encouraging your child to try veggies without pressureTaste tests as a low-pressure, even fun way to build curiosity without expectationsWhat to do when you feel like you're already standing on your head serving it 22 different waysWhy it's normal to be frustrated - and how to make sure that's not accidentally turning into pressure at the tableIf you've ever felt like you've tried everything and your kid still won't touch a vegetable, this episode will give you a few new things to try - and permission to keep going without needing to control the outcome. Resources Mentioned: ✅ Give Your Kid a Knife with Heather Staller Want to connect? Send us a text! 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!

    19 min

  3. APR 30

    You Can't Think Your Way Out of Food Struggles with Stefanie Michele

    You've read books. You've listened to podcasts. You follow experts on social media. And you understand, logically, why you shouldn't comment on what your kid puts on their plate or how much they eat. And then dinner happens, and something comes out of your mouth anyway. Or you know how bad you feel when you eat too much, but you find yourself in the kitchen at 10pm doing the exact thing you swore you were done doing. It's not because you don't know better. It's because knowing and feeling safe are two completely different things. Stefanie Michele is a coach, writer, and nervous system educator who recovered from decades of binge-restrict cycles and now helps people understand the deeper forces driving their food struggles and why they can't just logic their way out of them. In this episode, we talk about: Why you can understand something completely and still not be able to do it - and what's actually going on in your brain when that happensHow diet culture and wellness culture keep your nervous system in a low-level state of threat, even when you're not consciously aware of itWhy binge eating keeps happening even when you hate how it feelsHow your own dysregulation shows up at the dinner table and drives the reactions you can't seem to stopSimple, body-based tools to bring yourself down a notch in the moment - before you say the thing you don't want to sayIf you've ever felt like you know exactly what you should do and still can't do it - around food, with your child, or basically anything in life - this episode will finally bring some clarity and help you see why it's not willpower, and there's nothing wrong with you. Connect more with Stefani Michele: ✅ Podcast: Full But Not Finished ✅ Instagram: @iamstephaniemichele ✅ YouTube: Stephanie Michele ✅ Website: iamstephaniemichele.com Want to connect? Send us a text! 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!

    55 min

  4. APR 23

    When Other Kids Tell Your Child A Food Is Bad

    You're being intentional. You're thinking about the language you use, how you talk about food at the table, what you allow and don't allow. And then your kid comes home and tells you that Joey said french fries are bad for you. Or you're standing right there when another little kid announces that pepperoni is bad. And you probably want to jump in and "fix" it. You're trying so hard to change the messaging and give your child a healthy relationship with food. But this is the culture we're raising our kids in. There are always going to be peers, family members, coaches, and teachers who say things about food that go against the way you're trying to support your child. We can't build a bubble. But we can build a foundation and help our kids start to think critically about the messages they're hearing instead of just absorbing them. In this episode, we talk about: The different reasons kids say certain foods are bad, from diet culture messaging to allergies to cultural and religious food practicesWhat to say in the moment when you're right there and another kid makes a commentHow to have the conversation with your younger child (preschool and early elementary) when they bring it homeHow to go deeper with older elementary kids in a way that builds critical thinking skillsThe most powerful question you can ask your child to help them make decisions around foodIf you want your child to have a healthy relationship with food and want to know how to best support them given the culture we live in - this episode is for you! Want to connect? Send us a text! 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!

    17 min

  5. APR 16

    Give Your Kid a Knife with Heather Staller

    Have you heard that you should have your kid help in the kitchen? Probably that it will help expose them to new foods, feel more comfortable with different foods, create independence.  But maybe it also feels like a big chore. And when it comes to actually getting them there, it feels like a lot. The mess, the patience it takes, the kid who stirs once and disappears. I get it!  But what if it's actually not THAT big of a deal.  Heather Staller is a trained chef, culinary school graduate, and the creator of Happy Kids Kitchen. She's spent years teaching kids of all ages to cook - in classrooms, in recreational cooking schools, in preschools - and her message to parents is simple: you don't need a recipe, a plan, or even a fully willing child. You just need one minute. In this episode, we talk about: Why one minute in the kitchen genuinely counts - and how it adds up more than you'd expectThe single most important skill to teach your kid firstWhy spreading is one of the most underrated kitchen skills - like spreading butter, peanut butter, jellyHow to involve a kid who has zero interest in helpingWhere to start if you're not much of a cook yourselfHow getting kids comfortable in the kitchen helps with more than just nutritionIf you've ever wanted your child to be more capable and confident, in the kitchen and beyond, this episode will show you where to start. RESOURCES MENTIONED:  ✅ Smoothie Download: The Smoothie Lab ✅ Blog Post: Teaching Knife Skills to Toddlers and Kids (Safety and Basics) ✅ Cookbook: Kid Kitchen  ✅ Instagram: @happykidskitchen   Want to connect? Send us a text! 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!

    53 min

  6. APR 9

    When the Joy Goes Out of Eating, Nutrition Suffers

    Here's what I want you to consider: How does food actually feel in your home right now? Does it feel joyful, playful, connected? Or does it feel pressured, stressful, controlled? Because here's the truth that Ellyn Satter taught us: When the joy goes out of eating, nutrition suffers. When eating feels stressful or controlled, kids eat less variety. They're less curious about food. They resist more. And all those strategies that you're implementing don't work nearly as well - or they backfire completely. But when the environment feels good - when there's more joy, ease, and connection - everything shifts. Kids are more likely to try new foods, listen to their body cues, stay at the table, and actually eat a greater variety. The environment isn't just one more strategy. It's the foundation. It's the thing you come back to when anything feels off. It's your thermostat for whether you're moving in the right direction. In this episode, I break down: Why the environment around food is the foundation that colors everything elseHow to create joy AND structure (not one or the other)Real examples of how shifting the environment helps kids regardless of their eating patterns or the behaviors you're seeingWhy focusing on connection instead of food actually leads to better nutritionSmall, doable things you can try tonight to bring more joy to your tableIf mealtimes feel tense, if your child is eating out of balance, if you're worried about nutrition, if you're not sure what else to do... this episode will help you see what might be missing. RESOURCES MENTIONED: ✅ Free Guide: Make Meals Fun  ✅ Episode 28 (on distractions): Is It Bad to Let My Kid Eat in Front of a Screen? Want to connect? Send us a text! 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!

    13 min

  7. MAR 26

    When 'Healthy Eating' Becomes Disordered Eating

    We all want our kids to eat well, make "good" choices with food, and care about their health. So when they start choosing salads over pizza, or asking about ingredients, or saying they want to eat healthier - it can feel like a win. But what if those "healthy choices" aren't actually about health at all? What if they're early warning signs of something more concerning - something that's easy to miss because it looks so positive on the surface? The truth is... disordered eating in kids doesn't usually start with dramatic restriction or obvious weight loss. It starts with things that get praised. Things that seem responsible. Things that look like discipline or being health-conscious. And we're seeing these behaviors show up earlier and earlier, not just in teenagers, but in elementary-aged kids. In this episode, I'm sharing what disordered eating usually looks like, why it's so easy to miss, and what signs are worth paying attention to... because the earlier we notice, the better the outcome. I also share my own story with disordered eating and why this work is so personal to me. We talk about: How eating disorders and disordered eating are showing up in younger kids nowThe early signs that often get disguised as "healthy choices" or disciplineChanges in eating behavior, anxiety around food, body image concerns, and exercise patterns to watch forWhy an eating disorder doesn't look like not eatingHow the way we talk about food at home can either plant seeds for protection or chip away at trustWhat to do if you're noticing patterns that feel concerningThis is not about creating fear or walking on eggshells. It's about knowing what to watch for so we can support our kids early - and so we can be intentional about the messages we're sending about food and bodies at home. If you just want to be more aware of what these behaviors can look like, or if you're already wondering if something might be off, this episode is for you. Foundational Episodes Referenced: It's Not a Food Free-for-All All Food is Not Equal What the Heck is a Relationship with Food? Want to connect? Send us a text! 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!

    29 min

  8. MAR 19

    Is It Bad to Let My Kid Eat in Front of a Screen?

    "Is it okay to let my kid watch a show while they eat?" "Should we be stricter about no screens at meals?" "Am I creating bad habits if they eat in front of an iPad?" I get this question all the time... And the answer isn't a simple yes or no. The real question isn't whether screens are good or bad. It's: How is this impacting my child's connection to food, their body, and their overall experience with eating? Because here's the thing: not all distraction is the same. And sometimes, a little distraction is actually exactly what your child needs. In this episode, I break down: The distraction spectrum: from hyper-stimulation (scrolling) to fully mindful eating (and why neither extreme is the goal)When distraction disconnects kids from their hunger and fullness cuesWhen distraction actually helps kids stay regulated enough to eatHow to tell if screens at meals are supporting your child or working against themWhy sometimes the goal isn't more presence - it's less pressureThe difference between distraction that zones kids out vs. distraction that takes the spotlight off foodIf mealtimes feel tense, if your kid won't stay at the table, or if you're just wondering whether you need to ban screens entirely - this episode will help you think about it differently. Want to connect? Send us a text! 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
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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
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Intentional Table
  • Show Website
    The Intentional Table

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