Most kids have some type of picky eating behavior, but for some kids, their picky eating seems out of the norm and over the top, making meal and snack times difficult—maybe even impossible. Perhaps they refuse to try new foods or refuse to eat vegetables altogether. Maybe they get upset at mealtimes, or have meltdowns before parties or social gatherings because of the food or the pressure to eat. Either way, extreme picky eating can cause kids and their parents a lot of stress and anxiety. In this episode, I sat down with Jenny McGlothlin, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, a certified speech-language pathologist and certified lactation counselor specializing in the evaluation and treatment of feeding disorders for children and teens, and the co-author of, “Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating.”
Jenny and I talked about what’s normal for kids when it comes to picky eating,  how to tell if your kid is an “extreme" picky eater, how to take the focus off nutrition and create a positive food environment, and so much more.
Be sure to sign up for the free video course, Turn Your Picky Eaters Into Little Foodies: https://www.julierevelant.com/free-video-email-course/.
Welcome 
6:52 What are the common feeding challenges parents come to you for?
8:01 What are some myths or false, deeply-held beliefs parents have around feeding kids?
15:44 What are mistakes parents make when feeding their kids?
18:33 Why are parents so focused on nutrition?
21:30 What is the difference between “picky eating” and “extreme picky eating?”
23:08 How common is “extreme picky eating?”
23:40 What are some of the problems that can occur with an extreme picky eater?
27:35 What are the reasons behind extreme picky eating?
34:41 What is Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and how common is it?
38:15 What are the signs of ARFID?
41:25 What is the treatment for ARFID and where should parents seek help?
45:45 Why should parents re-think what “eating well” means?
49:12 For parents who think their kids are extreme picky eaters, what are the steps they should take to find support and get help?
54:19 What is the STEPS+ approach and how does it work?
1:05:00 What are “scripts?”
1:08:46 What are your most effective strategies for getting kids to try new foods?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
Jenny mentioned a study which showed sugar doesn’t make kids hyper and a follow-up study which showed that parents may think that’s the case because they expect it. 
Jenny is co-author of the book, “Helping Your Child With Extreme Picky Eating.”
Julie mentions “It’s Not About The Broccoli."
Follow Jenny on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Learn more at ExtremePickyEating.com. 

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,