All parents want what is best for their child and that includes growing up strong, healthy, and enjoying a wide variety of foods. However, children may go through a period of “picky eating” which can start at any age, but it is most common in toddlers. The introduction of new tastes, textures, smells and temperatures can be frightening to a child. It’s important to provide parents with strategies and reassurance that picky eating is part of normal development. It’s also important for health professionals to assess if picky eating is influencing weight changes, nutrient deficiencies or ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) which is an extreme form of picky eating that impacts normal development. Tune in to this episode with guest Dr. Elizabeth Zmuda to learn about: the definition of picky eating how eating is learning, exploring and building skills responsive feeding and feeding with the 5 senses how parents bring their own stories and histories to the dinner table just because a child spits out a food doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t like it how these same strategies help to prevent obesity and eating disorders the difference between picky eating and ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) how to introduce new foods and include nutrient rich foods how nutrient rich dairy foods can be helpful as a familiar food for picky eaters if sneaking in nutrition by hiding vegetables in other foods is effective if plant-based milk alternatives are an acceptable substitute for cow’s milk new recommendations for birth – 23 months including yogurt and cheese as options for infants starting as early as 6 months of age Strategies for parents and health professionals to address picky eating behaviors and develop healthy eating patterns in toddlers resources for parents and health professionals on child nutrition, picky eating, responsive feeding, dietary guidelines, recipes, tips and more This episode is sponsored by American Dairy Association Mideast and American Dairy Association Indiana. Dr. Zmuda is an ambassador for the National Dairy Council. This episode has been submitted to CDR for continuing education credits for RDNs, DTRs & CDCESs. For more information visit https://soundbitesrd.com/freeceus Full shownotes and resources at: https://soundbitesrd.com/210