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The Intentional Table
Feeding kids isn’t just about what’s on the plate - it’s about raising them to feel confident, capable, and at peace with food and their bodies.
The Intentional Table Podcast is here to help you break the cycles of guilt, shame, and mealtime stress so you can raise kids who eat well and feel good about it.
Hosted by Nicole Cruz, a registered dietitian and mom of three who has coached thousands of parents, this podcast gives you the tools, structure, and mindset shifts to create a positive, empowered eating environment at home.
With guidance, compassion, and strategies that really work, you’ll feel more confident and less stressed while supporting your kids through 'picky' eating, 'overeating', struggles with sweets, and everything in between.
The Intentional Table
Navigating the Holidays: Family Comments, 'Picky' Eating, and Too Many Sweets
First... If you want to raise your child to eat a variety, listen to their body and eat the amount they need, not obsess about or sneak sugar and sweets... and you want to get a step-by-step plan for exactly how to apply these feeding strategies for your family...
Our next cohort for Nourish Together is starting in January, and when you join right now, you'll also get holiday support all through December ❤️
DM me on Instagram @nicolecruzrd, and let me know that you're interested. We still have a few spots open!
The holidays can bring joy, magic… and a lot of food stress.
Between endless cookies and sweets, unpredictable schedules, big family gatherings, and well-meaning relatives who love to comment on your child’s eating, it’s no wonder parents feel overwhelmed this time of year.
In this episode of The Intentional Table, I’m answering the most common questions parents have about navigating food, gatherings, sweets, structure, and family pressure during the holiday season.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you should bring backup food to a holiday meal, how to respond when someone tells your child to “just try a bite,” or how to keep any sense of structure when it feels like a season of endless snacks and grazing... this is for you!
You’ll learn practical strategies and scripts you can start using right away so you can support your child, stay grounded, and create a season that feels calmer and more connected around food.
You’ll hear:
- What to do when your child refuses most holiday foods
- How to handle pressure from relatives (like “finish your plate”)
- Ways to let your child enjoy holiday sweets without feeling like it's spiraling or that you have to be the food police
- How to keep predictable structure when schedules and routines get messy
- How to reduce your own stress and pressure so meals feel easier for everyone
By the end of this episode, you’ll feel more confident navigating holiday meals, sweets, and family dynamics - and you’ll have simple tools to help your child feel safe, supported, and flexible with food.
Let's have this season be a time of connection, trust, and joyful moments together ❤️
Want to connect? Send us a text!
Join the WAITLIST for NOURISH TOGETHER HERE!
CONNECT with Nicole:
- Instagram: @nicolecruzRD
- Book a FREE Eating Alignment Call with Nicole to learn more about our approach and how we can work together: Eating Alignment Call
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Thank you for tuning in and see you next week!