Growth charts from the pediatrician may leave you with some questions or concerns, so I talked with pediatrician Dr. Mona Amin from @pedsdoctalk all about toddler weight and what you actually need to know about their percentile. Disclaimer: this is for educational purposes only, please consult your child’s healthcare provider for any concerns related to their health. Here is what we will cover: What is a growth chart and why does it matter?All the things you might hear at your doctors...

Food allergies scared the poop out of me when I was a first time mom with a baby, and it’s one of those things that the more you know about it, the less afraid you will be, and honestly it’ll be less likely your baby develops severe food allergies when you know more about it because early introduction is hugely important. Today we’re talking to Meghan McMillin, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), she’s also a mom to kids with...

Since beef is something people often think they need to restrict or avoid, I asked special guest & nutrition expert Keli Hawthorne, MS, RD to share what the research says about beef, specifically for young kids! Keli Hawthorne is a Registered Dietitian and the Director for Clinical Research for the Department of Pediatrics at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.  In this episode, I asked Keli about: the health benefits of beef and which cuts she recommends the...

Does your child actually need a multivitamin? Today I’ll walk you through why your little one may or may not need to take a daily multivitamin, and what common nutritional gaps I see in kids’ diets (and how to address them). Plus, I talk about why you need to be careful with the supplement industry, and have your guard up when you hear influencers promoting vitamins & supplements! To read more about vitamin recommendations for kids, go to: The Best Multivitamins For Toddlers (And Does...

Dinnertime with toddlers is like herding cats – except worse, because you also probably had to field a tantrum 5 minutes ago and you have zero chill left in you. And then they don’t even EAT anything you made and you want to say, as my son does, “WHAT THE FLIP?!”   Believe it or not, there are 5 very common reasons why I see littles not eating at dinner. Listen to today’s episode to see which of these might be the culprit in your house! 

Carbs! They just might be your toddler or preschoolers love language and today I’m talking about what too much carbs actually looks like, when carbs are a problem, and how to feel about your little one’s obsession with all things carbohydrates. In this episode, I’ll answer:  How much of their diet should be carbohydrates?Should you limit grains or starchy carbs?Should you limit sweets?Protein and fiber boosting alternatives to traditional carbsWhy are kids obsessed with carbsWhen is their...

Jessica has 12 years of experience in education and 22 years of experience working with children. She was recently named school counselor of the year in 2021-2022 for the Richardson School Division, a large school district in Dallas/Fort Worth. Currently, she works with children from Pre-K to sixth grade or four to twelve-year-olds. Her passion is teaching students coping tools for anxiety and helping them better understand how their brains work. In addition to counseling, Jessica also shares...

Once your little one hits the 12-month mark, they become a full-on toddler. And when they become toddlers, we want to start weaning them off formula. (Side note: Isn’t that wild? We get one baby year. Like who gave them permission to stop being the baby I brought home?!)   Anyway…stopping formula sounds nice and simple, right? But it brings up SO many questions. Can you move them off formula early? Do you jump straight into milk? Cow’s milk? Soy milk? Bottles? Sippy cups? Straw cups?! It’s a...

Mama, but I’ve had so many moms asking me about popular ‘kid snacks’ wondering if they are actually healthy. Sometimes it’s nice to give your kids a quick and easy snack you know they’ll love and will actually eat (Oof!) But then we can start to spiral “Should I be letting them eat that? Is this bad for them? Am I a bad mama?” to make things even harder (as if being a mom isn’t hard enough) the internet is full of people claiming things like vegetable oil is the WORST thing you can put in...

Today, I invited Myriam Sandler to this podcast to dive into easy sensory play ideas you can do today that are TOTALLY mess-free. She’ll talk about how sensory play got her toddler eating solid foods (For real!). And finally, we’ll get into why creating a setup routine and boundaries with your little one is so important for keeping the mess off the floors and in the bins. So if you’re a momma who’s done with finding slim or paint all over your house, grab a coffee and let’s dive in!  Meet...

Is your toddler obsessed with carbs?! Like, to the point where their idea of a balanced meal is crackers with white bread, a few cheddar puffs for color, and a side of fruit that may or may not get eaten? And, is that making you panic or second-guess yourself just a little? If so, this episode is for you!   This week on Feeding Toddlers Made Easy, I’m spilling the soybeans on protein for toddlers and answering super-common parent FAQs like, “How much protein does a toddler need?” My goal(s):...

Heather Staller is a mom, cooking instructor, and recipe developer dedicated to getting kids into the kitchen. After culinary school, she worked for many years at a recreational cooking school teaching kids camps and workshops for ages 3 to 16. Currently, Heather runs her own business and online platform where she shares recipes, lunch box ideas, and cooking knowledge on her website HappyKidsKitchen.com and her Instagram page @heather.happykidskitchen. In 2019, she published a cookbook,...

This week’s podcast episode, I called up Erica Campbell: mom, wife, nurse, and breastfeeding consultant. We talk through the most common problems that come up around weaning. Things like what to do when you want to wean when they don’t (ugh), what to do when they want to wean but you don’t (gaaaah), the hormones, pain, and side effects of weaning (yayyy more mom fun!), and allllllll the feels that come with weaning. If weaning is a topic that's been on your mind, then mama, you are in the...

Katie and Carly are licensed pediatric speech-language pathologists specializing in early intervention and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of speech and language disorders in children ages birth to five. Together, they run Wee Talkers, where they teach parents of babies and toddlers how to support their child’s language and communication development.    Through online education, courses, and memberships, they offer connection-driven language resources that help families and children...

Short-Order Cooks: Parents who: ask their child what they want for each meal, then make it; give LOTS of meal alternatives; get their child something else when they deny a meal; sometimes feel like failures for giving in when they WANT their child to eat what they made. Short-Order Kitchens: Frustrating places where alternative meals are always on-deck, pantry favorites are forever available in place of meals, and exhausted parents automatically make kid-approved meals alongside their...

I recently had a mom tell me she wanted to help her child gain weight, and when she spoke with her pediatrician, they told her to “just feed ice cream and cookies and not worry about it.” And while technically this advice might work, she didn’t feel great about it. It puts her in the position of choosing between her child’s nutrition OR their weight, which made her second guess. And I’m glad she did! In this week’s podcast episode, I want to set the record straight, because you do not have...

If your toddler wants snacks all the time, you might be at a total loss—or feeling like you’re about to lose it. 😅  Especially if your no’s have historically resulted in tantrums of major proportions. You’re probably thinking, “This can’t be the best way to handle incessant food and snacks, can it?!” And honestly, the answer is no, it isn’t!  You’re right to be a little frustrated at the fact that you can’t say no to your child without some kind of push back. For so many reasons, as parents,...

Easy strategies for getting kids to eat veggies, what happens if they DON'T eat veggies & 5 toddler-friendly veggie recipes. From a mom & pediatric RD!  Welcome back to Feeding Toddlers Made Easy with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist host, Kacie Barnes of Mama Knows Nutrition! For notes from this episode and links to the recipes I mention, go to the link for this episode’s post at mamaknowsnutrition.com/podcast/how-to-get-your-kids-to-eat-vegetables/

I thought that once we passed the baby stage, sleep would be a given. Nope, nope, nope. If you have a toddler or preschooler who is waking in the night or waking at the crack of dawn, listen to this episode with my favorite sleep expert, Becca Campbell of Little Z’s Sleep, who has helped thousands of families resolve exhausting sleep habits.

Today’s episode is all about the first tool you need for your picky eater to get them moving in the right direction. If there aren’t many foods that they willingly eat, and you don’t know how to branch them out from where they are now, this episode is a must listen!  The tool we talk about in today’s episode is available free here in my Picky Eater Starter Guide. Grab it now here! I’m Kacie Barnes, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a Master of Clinical Nutrition and picky eating...

Get helpful strategies to manage when your toddler has tantrums, doesn’t like your “no” answer, or gets upset because you set a boundary. I chatted with special guest Jessica VanderWier, Registered Psychotherapist and founder of Our Mama Village, to learn about parenting your toddler – especially when you identify as a people pleaser or just really have a hard time when your decisions make your little one unhappy. I’m Kacie Barnes, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist of Mama Knows Nutrition....

Maybe your child seems to be growing fine, and the pediatrician says they’re fine, but you still worry about their picky eating and don’t know what to do to overcome it. Or you wonder if you’re stressing about nothing!  This episode with Kacie Barnes, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and picky eater expert talks you through what to do if they’re not eating foods they used to eat, what is in your control (and what’s not) with your picky eater, and what you should do to help overcome picky...

 In-depth interview with Solid Starts founder Jenny Best on starting solids and moving past purees. If you’ve ever worried about your baby choking, gagging, or just generally moving past purees, you are going to feel so much more knowledgeable after this episode.  I’m Kacie Barnes, and this is Feeding Toddlers Made Easy. I’m your host, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and mama of two, and creator of mamaknowsnutrition.com. Feeding Toddlers Made Easy is all about solving nutrition and picky...

Serving dessert probably doesn’t seem that complicated until you have kids. Then you start to wonder, how often should they be having this? When do I offer it? Do they need to finish their dinner in order to get it? Do I want to handle dessert the same way my parents did, or does something feel off about that approach?  Note: this episode is geared towards kids over 2, as I recommend avoiding/limiting treats for babies and 1 year olds. Welcome back to Feeding Toddlers Made Easy, I’m Kacie...

Here’s how to solve two common mealtime problems! 1. Toddlers who only want to eat off their parent’s plate (and not their own, even if the food is the same), and 2. Toddlers who will NOT stay seated at a meal. I’m Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, this is Feeding Toddlers Made Easy, where we demystify your toddler’s wacky and frustrating mealtime behaviors, and talk about how to get them good nutrition, too.  Please follow the podcast if you find it helpful and you like hanging out while you’re...