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. 3d ago

    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!

    21 min

  2. 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!

    20 min

  3. 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!

    16 min

  4. 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!

    16 min

  5. 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: 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!

    19 min

  6. 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: 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!

    55 min

  7. 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: 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!

    17 min

  8. 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: 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!

    53 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
    39
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Intentional Table
  • Show Website
    The Intentional Table

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