During the pre-teen and teen years, a lot changes, including how kids eat. They often have new food preferences, want what other kids are eating, and may be embarrassed by what you’re packing them for lunch. They’re exposed to a lot more food marketing and social media, and with more social opportunities, you realize you have a lot less control over what they eat. In this episode, I sat down with Kiran Dodeja Smith, a mom of 4, a certified integrative health coach, marketing expert, and founder of Easy Real Food. Previously, Kiran spent more than 8 years working with the popular brand, 100 Days of Real Food. Kiran and I talk about healthy eating for teens, TikTok, and dietary restrictions. She also shares a personal story about her child’s eating disorder diagnosis and what she learned from the experience. Welcome 2:44 Let’s talk about your story! 5:18 Can you talk about your health journey? 5:57 Did your interest in raising healthy eaters start when you became a mom? 7:08 Why is it important to lay the foundation of healthy eating from the start? 8:22 Around the infant and toddler years, why are kids more accepting of different foods? 9:32 What changes when kids get older in terms of how they eat? 12:08 What are you seeing on TikTok in terms of kids and food? 19:15 We see a lot of influencers promoting “clean eating” and organic. What are tips for parents looking to feed their kids healthy but also within their means? 22:38 What are practical tips for encouraging our kids to eat healthier? 24:24 Do you cook with your kids? 25:16 How can we navigate food allergies and dietary restrictions with older kids? LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW Kiran mentions 100DaysOfRealFood.com. Kiran talks about the Real Lunches, Real Easy! ebooks. Kiran mentions the Dirty Dozen. Learn more about Kiran on EasyRealFood.com Follow Kiran on Instagram. FROM OUR PARTNERS Kids Cook Real Food eCourse The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener. Thrive Market Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.