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If you’ve ever bribed a child with dessert to get three more bites of broccoli into their mouth, this interview may mess with your head a little.
In a good way.
Because what if our intense focus on getting healthy food INTO our kids is accidentally teaching them some not-so-healthy habits about eating?
When I first interviewed sociologist, parent educator, and feeding expert Dr. Dina Rose, her ideas challenged the way I thought about feeding my own kids. In fact, this conversation continues to influence how our family handles desserts and sweet treats today.
Dina’s big idea sounds almost too simple: Healthy eating isn’t only about what kids eat. It’s about the habits they’re learning around food.
That means we have to think beyond fruits, vegetables, protein, and all the other nutritional boxes we’re trying desperately to check before bedtime.
Are our kids learning to recognize when they’re hungry and full?
Are they learning to eat a variety of foods?
Are sweets becoming rewards, comfort, or forbidden treasures?
And are we accidentally creating power struggles because we’re so worried about getting those vegetables into them?
Dina boils healthy eating down to three habits: proportion, variety, and moderation. And I have to tell you, thinking in terms of three habits instead of servings, nutrients, and “Did anyone eat something green today?” feels like a breath of fresh air.
In this interview, we’ll dig into why focusing too heavily on nutrition can backfire, how kids’ taste preferences are shaped, why variety does NOT have to mean constantly serving new foods, and how sweets and treats can have a reasonable place in a healthy relationship with food.
Some of Dina’s ideas challenged me when I first heard them.
They still make me think.
And I have a feeling you’ll have a few “Wait...what?” moments too.
Let’s dig in.
Resources We Mention for Changing Eating Habits
- Dr. Dina’s book: It’s Not About the Broccoli
- My video on “Growing Foods vs. Fun Foods”
- Don’t underestimate kids’ taste buds!
- Get on the list for the next No More Picky Eating Challenge
Check out my new book at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/pickybook!
- Kitchen Stewardship
- Raising Healthy Families
- follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
- Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
- YouTube shorts channel for HPH
- Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!
