We all want our kids to try new foods. I mean, let's be real. It's soooo frustrating when they say "I don't like it" when they've never even tried it.

So a "no thank you bite" seems like the perfect solution:

You don't have to eat it, but you have to try it.

Just one bite, and then you can say no thank you.

It's low-stakes, it comes from the best intentions, and they might even like it. So why not do a "no thank you bite"?

I got this question twice from clients in the same week, so I know you might be wondering about it too. In this episode, I break down what the no thank you bite actually does at the table, what the research says about pressure and kids' eating, and why the concept itself isn't the problem.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What the no thank you bite is (and why so many well-meaning parents use it)
• The "finish your soup" study, and what it tells us about pressure at the table
• The real difference between a rule and an invitation
• Three paths forward depending on what's happening at your table right now
• Exactly what to do if you've been enforcing the bite and want to change the rules

If you've ever sat at the table wondering whether making your kid take that one bite is helping or hurting, this episode will give you a clear answer and a next step you can use tonight.

✅ Research: "Finish your soup": Counterproductive effects of pressuring children to eat on intake and affect (Galloway et al., 2006, Appetite)

Want to connect? Send us a text!

CONNECT with Nicole:

FREE Training: Raise a Balanced Eater AND Protect Their Relationship With Food

- Instagram: @nicolecruzRD

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Navigating food during the summer can feel like a whole lot of stress. Vacations, eating out, swim parties, sweets galore, lack of structure... I get it!

I just got back from a two-week baseball trip with my family - managing tons of restaurants, games ending at odd times, italian ice at by the pool. It's a lot!

We had an eight hour drive to kick off the trip followed by four flights and two hotels in between.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How to help your kid eat in a balanced way even when eating out all the time
• What to keep in your hotel room at the bare minimum (and the hotel tip I wish someone had told me sooner)
• How to think about your role at restaurants - and what to let them order or not
• Meal and snack ideas for on the go (especially when it's long periods)
• How to have a rhythm and hold boundaries around things like ice cream and soda
• What I packed that sent people into a frenzy on Instagram and what actually ended up happening

If you're in the middle of summer and wondering how to navigate the lack of structure and countless sweets, or if you're anticipating your next week away - listen in!

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!

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 less
• What my daughter said out loud that most kids only feel quietly
• How 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 happen
• What the research says about kids who find pleasure in food versus kids focused on nutrition rules

Whether 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!