Picky Eating in Kids: Causes and Practical Solutions | Episode 100

Picky Eating in Kids: Causes and Practical Solutions | Episode 100

May 14, 2026 · 55 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the causes of picky eating in children and offers practical solutions to improve mealtime experiences.

Picky eating is one of the most common and frustrating challenges for parents. It can turn meals into daily stress, leaving many of us feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and unsure what to do next. In this episode, I am talking to herbalists Sabrina Cooper and Dabney Vaccaro about the root causes of picky eating and how to shift mealtimes from chaos to connection. The roles have been reversed and they are interviewing me! This is originally from their podcast The Lifestyle Herbalists Podcast. We cover practical strategies, nervous system regulation, gut health, and how your behaviour directly shapes your child’s relationship with food.   We chat about:    • Simple ways to make mealtimes calmer, safer, and more connected • Why making separate meals reinforces picky eating long term • How to use repeated exposure to help children accept new foods • How to reduce mealtime pressure so kids are more open to eating • How a parent’s nervous system directly affects her child’s eating behaviour • Why modelling healthy eating matters more than what you say • How small portions of disliked foods can build confidence and identity • The connection between gut health, nutrient…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Hilary Claire

Guests: Sabrina Cooper, Dabney Vaccaro

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Lifestyle Herbalists Podcast

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