Raising healthy eaters means more than serving nutritious food. It starts with building a positive relationship with food. Maryann Jacobsen, a registered dietitian, family nutrition expert, and four-time author, teaches practical strategies to help children—and parents—enjoy food without anxiety.
Maryann’s interest in feeding children began when she became a mother and researched how to introduce solids to her first child. She discovered effective approaches that help kids accept a wide variety of healthy foods. Many parents experience a “honeymoon phase” when their baby will try almost anything. That often changes as toddlers push for independence, commonly rejecting foods. This phase is a normal part of development, but it can be stressful for families.
Maryann emphasizes exposure as a core strategy for dealing with picky eating. Regularly offering healthy foods and normalizing them in daily routines helps children become familiar and comfortable with those options. Family-style meals and shared dinners also support a healthy food culture by connecting eating with relationships and routine. One practical tool she recommends is the “learning plate”—a low-pressure way for resistant children to explore new foods. A learning plate allows a child to see, touch, and engage with food without the expectation that they must taste it immediately, creating a safer space to try new items over time.
“At puberty, girls are all of a sudden gaining weight and body fat in preparation for their periods, and it’s a time where they’re highly at risk for developing eating disorders or disordered eating. They might be on social media comparing their bodies to other girls’ bodies and it’s a whole different ball game now,” says Maryann.
To address concerns that arise during adolescence, Maryann wrote My Body’s Superpower and an accompanying journal. The book helps girls recognize and use their body’s natural signals—like hunger and fullness—to form balanced habits and positive self-image. As teens gain independence through allowances, jobs, and social activities, they also make more food choices on their own. The book aims to prevent common, unhealthy habits—such as skipping meals and later overeating—by teaching mindful, empowering habits during these formative years. Maryann recalls when skipping a packed lunch was seen as fashionable; her work encourages a healthier perspective.
“As a female myself, I truly appreciate the time and effort you have dedicated to supporting girls during that stage of puberty and helping them understand the change in their bodies.” Lori Taylor (16:44-16:56)
Other practical tips Maryann shares include closing the kitchen between meals to reduce mindless snacking while ensuring healthy snacks are accessible, and clearly communicating to children what the next meal will be and when. These small routines reduce anxiety and create predictable eating patterns. Remember that picky phases are typically temporary—stay calm and consistent.
If you want to take concrete steps toward nurturing a healthier relationship with food in your home, Maryann has written several useful books: The Family Dinner Solution: How to Create a Rotation of Dinner Meals Your Family Will Love; How to Raise a Mindful Eater: 8 Powerful Principles for Transforming Your Child’s Relationship with Food; From Picky To Powerful: The Mindset, Strategies and Know-how You Need to Empower Your Picky Eater; Fearless Feeding: How To Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School; and My Body’s Superpower: The Girls’ Guide to Growing Up Healthy During Puberty.
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