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The Intentional Table
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.
Episodes
37 episodes
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 b...
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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 effect...
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 ...
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...
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 standi...
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 wh...
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 tau...
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.
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 ...
Eating Whatever You Want Isn't Intuitive Eating with Katy Harvey
Are you familiar with Intuitive Eating? Maybe you take that approach with food yourself... or maybe you've heard of it.But when you think about actually doing it, you think: If I let myself eat whatever I want, I'd never stop. I'd on...
My Kid Wants a Snack Every 30 Minutes - What Should I Do?
You're in the kitchen getting snacks. Again. For the third time in an hour. Or you're staring at the dinner table watching your kid ask for seconds after already eating more than you did. Or maybe you're wondering if your child will ever eat a ...
Parenting Without Diet Culture with Oona Hanson
As parents, we're constantly bombarded with conflicting messages about food: avoid ultra-processed foods, watch out for seed oils, limit sugar, push the vegetables. And underneath all of it is this fear - that if we don't control what our kids ...
What to Do When Someone Else Gives Your Kid "Treats"
You know when you're at the soccer game, the birthday party, or picking up from school, and you see your kid walking toward you with a bag full of candy, chips, a sugary drink... And you think to yourself: Really? Again? Another treat?...
Is your kid an intuitive eater?
Your child is capable of listening to their body, eating a variety of foods, and not being obsessed with sweets.Yes, even if they seem to have "no off switch" around food. Even if they're extremely "picky". Even if it feels like...
A Third Way to Feed Your Kids: Beyond Pressure and Permissiveness
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 bounc...
Are You Working Against Your Child's Eating Personality?
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: ...
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 y...
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 somethi...
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 bre...
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...I...
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 jud...
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 stil...
The Truth About Bedtime Snacks (And Whether You Should Do One)
Do you ever wonder whether your child really needs a bedtime snack?Is it ruining dinner?Could skipping it mean they won’t sleep because they’re hungry?And honestly… who wants to be back in the kitche...
Navigating the Holidays: Family Comments, 'Picky' Eating, and Too Many Sweets
First... If you want to raise your child to eat a variety, listen to their body and eat the amount they need, not obsess about or sneak sugar and sweets... and you want to get a step-by-step plan for exactly how to apply th...
Raise a Balanced Eater: The Pieces You're Missing
First... If you want to raise your child to eat a variety, listen to their body and eat the amount they need, not obsess about or sneak sugar and sweets... and you want to get a step-by-step plan for exactly how to apply th...