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Nutrition for the Early Years
Nutrition for the Early Years – Guilt-Free Guidance for Feeding Your Family
Nutrition for the Early Years is a pediatric nutrition podcast for parents seeking evidence-based guidance on infant feeding, toddler nutrition, and child health. Hosted by dual pediatrician + registered dietitian Dr. Liz Daniels, this show explores newborn and infant nutrition, introducing solids, baby-led weaning, complementary feeding, formula feeding, multivitamins for kids, growth and development, and picky eating solutions—all through the lens of real pediatric nutrition science.
From feeding anxiety and selective eating to questions about appetite, supplements, and healthy eating habits, this podcast helps parents build a confident, guilt-free feeding mindset. You’ll learn how to support your child’s relationship with food in ways that nourish growth, protect early childhood nutrition, and align with your values—without fear-based messaging or all-or-none thinking.
Food goes deep. It’s often not until we begin feeding our own children that we revisit our childhood nutrition experiences—comments that shaped us, arbitrary rules, pressure around healthy eating, and the quiet guilt many of us carry. Feeding kids has a way of surfacing old narratives and challenging us to rethink what child nutrition really means.
This is where the conversation begins—supporting families through toddler feeding, early childhood feeding, and raising children with a strong, positive relationship with food. Because nourishing your family isn’t about perfection. It’s about clarity, confidence, and understanding what truly matters in the early years.
You are in the right place if you are asking questions like:
-How do I get my child to eat vegetables?
-Why does my toddler suddenly refuse to eat (or only eat one thing)?
-Is my child eating enough to grow properly?
-How much protein does my child actually need?
-What are the best healthy snacks for kids?
-How much milk should my child drink, and what kind?
-How can I improve my child's immune system through food?
-How can I help my child have a healthy relationship with food?
Episodes
41 episodes
EP 41: What You Might Not Know About Breastmilk with Elena Medo
What if the first drops of milk your baby receives could help protect them from infection and support their developing immune system? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels talks with researcher, inventor, an...
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EP 40: 3 Things Parents of Good Eaters Have in Common
What if raising a great eater is less about what your child eats and more about how you approach food? In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels shares three habits she sees in families with confident eaters: trusting kids’ hunger cues, setting loving f...
EP 39: Kids Sleep + Low Iron with Dr. Michelle Hjelm
What if your child is getting enough hours of sleep but still isn’t getting the quality sleep their body needs? In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels sits down with pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Michelle Hjelm to talk abo...
EP 38: What Most People Don't Know about School Lunch and 3 Ways to Make it Better
What if school lunch is doing more for your child, and your community, than you realize? In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels breaks down the National School Lunch Program, from its history and nutrition standards to what actually lands on a child’...
EP 37: 4 Simple Ways to Pack Healthier Lunches Without the Guilt
What if packing the “perfect” school lunch is creating more stress than it’s worth? In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels shares her own experience with school lunch guilt, wasted food, picky eating, and the pressure to make every meal healthy. She ...
EP 36: Raising Body Confident Kids with Whitney Casares, MD
How can we help our kids feel confident in their bodies when diet culture, social media, AI, and beauty messages are everywhere? Pediatrician and author Dr. Whitney Casares joins Dr. Liz Daniels to share practical ways parents can build healthi...
EP 35: The Vitamin 75% Of Kids Aren't Getting Enough Of
Could vitamin D be one of the few supplements your child actually needs? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels explains why vitamin D matters for growing bones, immune health, and long-term bone strength. She breaks ...
EP 34: FIBERMAXXING for Kids: How and Why it Matters
What if one of the simplest ways to support your child’s gut, digestion, and long-term health is something most families are not getting enough of? In this episode, pediatrician Dr. Liz Daniels breaks down why fiber deserves more attention, not...
EP 33: Multivitamins vs. Vegetables: Are Kids Really Missing Nutrients?
Could your child’s multivitamin be giving you peace of mind without actually fixing the nutrient gaps you’re worried about? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels explains why multivitamins are not “vegetable insuranc...
EP 32: 4 Ways To Break The Cycle Of Dinnertime Stress
Will family dinner ever feel peaceful again? Dr. Liz Daniels explains how picky eating, parental worry, and pressure can create a stressful cycle at the table. The good news is that parents can help break that cycle without cooking separate mea...
EP 31: Iron Deficiency in Toddlers: Why “Borderline” Is Not Good Enough
Could your toddler have low iron even when you are offering healthy, iron-rich foods? Dr. Liz Daniels shares her personal experience with her son’s low hemoglobin and explains why iron deficiency is common, treatable, and never a sign that a pa...
EP 30: Cow Milk Protein Allergy in Babies: Signs, Diagnosis, Formula Options, and When to Remove Dairy
Could your baby’s fussiness, spit-up, or unusual stools really be caused by cow milk protein allergy, or is dairy being blamed too quickly? In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels explains what cow milk protein allergy, or CMPA, is, how it differs fro...
EP 29: Baby Spit Up Explained: What's Normal, Red Flags to Watch For, and When to Call the Doctor
What if your baby’s constant spit-up is normal, even when it looks like a lot? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, host Dr. Liz explains why babies spit up, how their growing digestive systems play a role, and why many cases are s...
EP 28: 7 Mistakes NOT to Make in Feeding Your Toddler
What if the nutrition choices you worry about most are not the ones that matter most? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels shares seven common feeding mistakes parents make during the baby and toddler years...
EP 27: Top 5 Foods for Your 1-Year-Old
Could a few simple foods help close common nutrition gaps in your one-year-old’s diet? In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels shares the five foods she wishes every family knew about as babies grow from breast milk or formula into toddlerhood. She ex...
EP 26: Added Sugar: The Conversation Every Parent Needs to Have
Is added sugar really the problem, or is it the way it quietly shows up in everyday kid foods? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels shares clear, caring guidance for parents who want to understand added sugar withou...
EP 25: The “Are They Getting Enough?” Spiral: Newborn Feeding, Weight Checks, and When to Get Support
Is your newborn getting enough milk, or are you stuck watching every feed, diaper, and sleepy stretch with worry? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels shares clear, caring guidance for parents in the first days and ...
EP 24: Solid Starts Experts Share Pro Tips for Successful Infant Feeding
What if the perfect baby food plate is not what your baby needs most? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels talks with Kim Grenawitzke and Kary Rappaport from Solid Starts about introducing solids to baby wi...
Episode 23: Stronger After Baby: Postpartum Recovery, Pelvic Floor, and Fueling Well with Val Warner
Is postpartum healing less about “bouncing back” and more about building strength for the long run?In this episode, Dr. Liz talks with postpartum fitness and nutrition expert Val Warner about what moms really need after birth and beyond...
Episode 22: Your Toddler Needs More Carbs Than Protein: What Parents Need to Know
Is your toddler refusing meat and reaching for carbs and fruit instead?In this episode, Dr. Liz helps parents breathe easier about toddler protein needs. She explains why young kids usually need far less protein than many parents think,...
Episode 21: How to Stop All-Day Snack Battles Without Being Restrictive
If snack time feels like it has taken over your whole day, what if the problem is not your toddler, but the lack of a clear rhythm?In this episode, Dr. Liz Daniels explains why toddlers ask for snacks so often, why their hunger can feel...
Episode 20: Finding the Right Fit: What Your Pediatrician Wants You to Know About Goat Milk Formula for Your Baby
If you have ever wondered whether goat milk formula is only a backup plan, or if it can be a safe first choice, this episode is for you.Goat milk infant formula is newer to many parents in the U.S., but it is not a “last resort” option....
Episode 19: ARFID in Young Athletes: The Picky Eating Red Flags Every Sports Parent Should Know with Katie Syvarth, RD, CSSD
If your kid plays a sport and is also a picky eater — this episode is for you.ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) is showing up more and more in young athletes, and the patterns almost always start years&...
EP 18: Allergen Introduction for Babies: What the Science Says About Timing Prevention
If the idea of introducing peanut butter to your baby sends your heart rate up — this episode is for you.As a pediatrician and registered dietitian, I've sat across from families who are genuinely terrified of allergen introduction. The...
Episode 17 | Body Image Issues Start at Age 5 — What Parents Can Do Right Now
Episode 17 | Body Image Issues Start at Age 5 — What Parents Can Do Right NowHere's something that stops parents in their tracks when I say it in clinic: body image concerns can show up as early as age 5. Not 13. Not even 10. Five.