Food for Tot: Feed Your Baby and Toddler with Confidence

What it really means to have a healthy relationship with food (and when it starts)

Kathy O'Bryan

Think your toddler’s relationship with food “just is what it is”? In this episode, Kathy opens up about one of the most emotional conversations she’s had with a client and why so many millennial parents are carrying invisible wounds from diet culture that now show up at their toddler’s table.

 

Through the story of a two-year-old who went from eating only beige foods to confidently listening to her body and trying new foods, Kathy breaks down what a healthy relationship with food actually looks like in early childhood, and why it starts far earlier than most parents realize. You’ll learn the signs your little one is developing a positive, autonomous relationship with food, and the common pressure-based habits that unintentionally teach kids to distrust their own bodies.

 

From meal-time battles and food “rules” to bite-counting, sneaking food, and moralizing what kids eat, Kathy explains how these patterns shape a child’s inner voice for years to come. And more importantly, she shares the boundaries, routines, and modeling that protect kids from the anxiety, shame, and rigidity so many of us grew up with.

 

If you’ve ever hoped your child would have a healthier relationship with food than you did, but aren’t sure how to build that foundation, this episode brings clarity, compassion, and practical next steps.

 

Tune in to hear:

  • The emotional truth: why millennial parents feel pressure to “fix” feeding based on their own histories
  • What a healthy toddler relationship with food actually looks like (and why it’s not cookie-cutter)
  • Signs your little one is building trust with their body such as hunger cues, fullness cues, and autonomy
  • Why toddlers need boundaries, predictable routines, and a confident role model at the table
  • The hidden harm of “just one bite,” bite-counting, weighing, or sneaking food into their mouths
  • How food morality (“good foods,” “bad foods,” “being good today”) shapes a child’s self-worth
  • Why toddlers shouldn’t run the eating schedule and how structure supports long-term success
  • How mealtime pressure, anxiety, or parental stress can quietly erode trust at the table
  • The long-game: how early feeding habits shape their body trust, confidence, and relationship with food

 

Mini Foodie Quiz: https://angelic-brook-71978.myflodesk.com/dt22wt9q3m

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Connect with Kathy:

@theminimedietitian

Website: https://theminimedietitian.com/

Grab my free Top Tips for Feeding Toddlers Guide