Melanie Potock

💚Picky eaters will have fun trying greens if they get to add my secret ingredient to Dr. Yum’s Green Dragon Smoothie!

💚Make this with your kids, and let them add a small handful of chocolate chips at the very end of blending. They are surprisingly low in sugar, and chop up in seconds to become POLKA-DOTS making this green dragon the cutest and friendliest in town! (and so yummy!)

👉🏼Here’s the recipe from my book, Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Child Learn to Love Vegetables with 100 Easy Activities and Recipes. 🗣️Comment VEGGIES for the link to look inside the book sent directly to your inbox!

✨1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed
✨¾ cup fresh or frozen pineapple
✨½ cup fresh or frozen green grapes
✨Small chunk frozen or fresh banana
✨½ peeled orange (I like to freeze peeled oranges too!)
✨Small wedge of lime, with rind, seeds removed
✨Tiny (pea sized) piece of ginger or a pinch of powdered ginger
(More ice if you’d like it extra cold and slushy!)
✨1/8 of a cup chocolate chips
✨👉🏼✨Blend everything except the chips in the blender until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed for smoother consistency.

🪄Here’s the MAGIC: Kids add chocolate chips and blend for just a few seconds, creating polka dots throughout!

Serves 2. NOTE: Omit chocolate chips for kids under age two.

🥰Your kids can: Peel the orange & banana! Add ingredients to blender with adult’s help. Toss in those magical chocolate chips!

✨🗣️More fun recipes like this in my latest paperback, with over 50 color photos too! Comment VEGGIES for link to look inside.
🤍Melanie

#melaniepotock #slpfeeding #feedingtherapy #feedinglittles #pickyeaters #ashaigers #originalidea #adventuresinveggieland

😳It’s dangerous to have stuffed animals of any size in baby’s sleep space, especially near their nose and mouth. PLUS, ideally we want to wean baby from the pacifier during the daytime at age 6 months. So, the animal pacifier makes no sense from a practical standpoint. BUT…here’s another point.

🐿️🦊🐻If your child is older and has not weaned from the pacifier, cut off the animal. The added weight hanging from their mouth may contribute to the intensity & duration of the sucking, which we know influences dental, facial & palate formation in conjunction with the frequency of sucking. They can still have the cute animal, just not hanging from the pacifier. Also, it’s time to wean anyway, so let go of the pacifier and hang on to the cute animal for comfort.

🤔Wondering how to wean a baby, toddler or older kiddo from the pacifier?
🎉COMMENT COURSE for a link sent straight to your DMs for ALL my video courses, including THE PACIFIER COURSE, plus a discount code!

💕You can do it… It just takes the right guidance to wean and I’m here to help!

🥰Melanie
But wait, there`s more! 🔥Recently, a pilot study concluded that “When toy plush animals are attached to a pacifier, the forces transmitted to the nipple of the pacifier can exceed the 0.4 N minimum force (100 g equals 0.98 N) required to cause orthodontic tooth movement.” Tesini DA et al., Forces Generated During Plush Animal Pacifier Use: A Pilot Study. Pediatr Dent. 2023 May 15;45(3):177-180. PMID: 37381124. Thanks to @functionfocusacadamy for sharing & @oral_motor_institute for sharing that study.

#melaniepotock
#pacifier #bestpacifier #speechtherapy #slp #feedingtherapy #feedingtherapist #myfirstbaby #babyregistry #toddler #mytoddler #toddlerlife #ashaigers #orofacial #orofacialmyology #toddlertrouble

🍓Kids love fruit, and it’s a common concern for parents that it’s all they will eat if they serve it with the meal. BUT, let’s take dessert (and fruit) off it’s pedestal and remember 3 rules on parenting mindfully at mealtimes:

1.✨You decide how much is available, and when. So, if you’d like to save fruit for snack time paired with a little fat or protein, that’s one option.

2.✨Your job is to offer a variety of food, but you can also say “That’s not on the menu today” or “Blueberries aren’t available right now – but we will have some for breakfast.”

3.✨Personally, I like fruit to served with the rest of the meal, and I feel that way most of the time about dessert too. But the portion is small. And I rarely provide “seconds”. I’m more likely to provide a bigger portion of fruit if I suspect they will enjoy it AND they need it for a nutritional reason – like a little extra fiber or Vitamin C.

🤦🏼‍♀️Also – anybody else feel like the entire grocery budget goes to BERRIES? LOL!

🗣️Comment COURSE for a discount code to any course on my on-demand course library, including The Picky Eater Course, Bottle Weaning and My Pacifier Course too! (and so many more!)

🥰Melanie

#melaniepotock #slpfeeding #feedingtherapy #feedinglittles #ashaigers #pickyeaters #responsivefeeding #arfidawareness

👶🏻Babies need iron, especially when starting solids. It’s essential for brain development, immune function, and the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.

😳Without enough iron, babies can develop iron deficiency anemia, which may affect their growth and learning. Want an easy way to ensure your baby is getting enough iron?

❤️First, shout-out to the registered dietitians that have taught me tips like these:

• You can choose Heme iron (easily absorbed): Found in animal products like red meat (beef, lamb), poultry (chicken, turkey), and seafood.
• And/or you can choose Non-heme iron (plant-based): Found in lentils, beans, tofu, spinach, quinoa, and fortified cereals. Pairing these with vitamin C-rich foods (like oranges or strawberries) can enhance iron absorption.

🗣️Hey did someone mention fortified baby cereals? YES PLEASE! ✨Sprinkle some into baby’s yogurt, purees or mix into pastas. ✨Add a few tablespoons to those banana-egg pancakes that we all love to make for kids – yep, bananas have Vit. C to help with the absorption. 🍌

✨❤️✨I keep a box of iron-fortified baby cereal ready to add to almost anything. It’s so easy and I can rest assured that I’m not forgetting the importance of including iron in baby’s diet.

🥳Today is National Registered Dietitian Day! Cheers to the RDs! We love you!

🥰Melanie

#melaniepotock #responsivefeeding #startingsolids #feedingtherapy #slpfeeding #ashaigers #feedinglittles

❤️GROUP FEEDING THERAPY: I love everything about her calm, loving and patient energy, allowing her son the space to communicate and join in on the lesson!

Kudos to his therapists from @bestparentingtoday and @pta_sfl
for the superb guidance as the entire Dr. Yum Food Adventure Feeding Group (most with autism, ARFID &/or PFD) discover the joy of food!

💕I co-created this food curriculum over ten years ago with pediatrician Dr. Yum. So, I genuinely get a little weepy over videos like this.🤍 This little guy touching and cutting bananas is everything to me. He’s a food explorer!

👉🏼If you’re a feeding professional and are interested in learning how you can get this feeding group curriculum just comment DYP.

🤍Melanie
(✨This is my volunteer work…I’m honored to be the feeding specialist for this nonprofit for over ten years.✨) Video of session shared with permission.❤️
#melaniepotock #slpfeeding #feedingtherapy #ashaigers #originalidea #feedinggrouptherapy

🤦🏼‍♀️Toddlers eat often, and this fast ten minute meal prep routine has saved my sanity!

🔪🍓🥕While it’s cooking I cut up fruits & veggies, or leftovers. Store those in the fridge in one container right next to the foods that you just popped out of the oven. You’re ready, set, prepped for the next 3 days!💥

✨When we can all sit down as a family and eat together, kids eat what I’ve made for the entire family. But this stash of easy-to-warm-up foods stored in one container in my fridge has been a game changer for times when I’m only feeding baby.🤍

✨❓✨Want more tips like these to help you raising a healthy happy eater? 🗣️Comment COURSE to see my course library (& get a nice discount!)

🥰Melanie
#melaniepotock #slpfeeding #feedingtherapy #pickyeaters #startingsolids #feedinglittles #responsivefeeding #ashaigers

🤦🏼‍♀️Don’t make my mistake when feeding your toddler. UGH. It’s so easy to fall into this trap when we are so busy! 👉🏼👉🏼Welcome to how I became a short-order cook in just a matter of days…and how to break that habit.

🤍Lately, I haven’t had time to prep this little guy’s meals. I typically pre-plate – meaning I serve him all at once, with 3 to 4 choices on his plate. If he asks for more of something, I sometimes say “Yes, we have more of that” but it’s within easy reach and I don’t get up to get more if I can help it.

🤍BUT when I don’t have time to have his plate ready, I end up giving him some @cheerios (a convenient, sure-thing) while I try to cut up grapes, warm up pasta, etc. And then, because I’m still trying to get his plate ready, I get him a few more (how can I resist that cute face?) but ugh…this can really back-fire!

😳WHAT IS HE LEARNING? Like many toddlers, “more” has a dual meaning, “GIVE ME MORE OR GIVE ME SOMETHING ELSE”.

👉🏼Instead, try to have that plate ready before putting them in their highchair. Have more food within an arm’s reach in a serving bowl or just another plate, but try to stay seated. That way, it’s clear when something is “all gone” and no longer available. But if you’re always hopping up to grab another food out of the fridge or off the stove, kids think there’s more up there somewhere and will continue to insist on “more”.

🎥Watch for the next reel on how I meal prep for this little guy in less than 10 minutes, twice a week. And, I still include favorites then too, but they are served on the plate with the other foods.

❓Have you fallen into this trap? It’s so easy to do!
🥰Melanie

Also, all the love for the convenience and nutrition of a handful of good old @cheerios!

#melaniepotock #pickyeaters #slpfeeding #feedinglittles #ashaigers #responsivefeeding #startingsolids

🍰Even picky eaters will love this ultra-moist cake and parents will love that it has TWO whole cups of peas! 🫛🫛🫛🫛🫛🫛

🤔WHY include vegetables in desserts? Because kids love to bake with you, and if they get to interact with 2 cups of peas in the process, that helps them make friends with peas.

😳BUT, does this cake TASTE LIKE PEAS? Nope, it tastes like cake, but it has only about a cup of sugar in the entire cake, including the lemon glaze on top!

🗣️Comment VEGGIES for a direct link to look inside the book and order yours today so your kids can Give Peas a Chance too! PERFECT FOR ST. PATRICKS DAY TOO!🍀

🤍Melanie
#melaniepotock #pickyeaters #slpfeedingtherapy #adventuresinveggieland

Preventing picky eating means parenting proactively! Also, make sure your kitchen includes a pig.😉#williamthepig

🤍Melanie
#melaniepotock #slpfeeding #pickyeaters #feedingtherapy #feedinglittles #ashaigers #arfidawareness

🤍Helping picky eaters, kids with ARFID & PFD - the numbers blew me away.

🤍Then, I started thinking about all the parents & professionals who trust in me ✨& my experience✨& that’s why they take my courses…& then the knowledge on how to help these kids expands, & good things come about.🫶🏼

👉🏼Comment COURSE for a discount code for any of my 9 on-demand courses to help you raise healthy happy eaters.

🤔Oh, and those numbers? Let’s just leave it at “over 10,000 kids” that I’ve treated in person. 😳 Wow…truly blessed to have these incredible kids in my life.🤍

🥰Melanie
#melaniepotock #pickyeaters #slpfeeding #feedingtherapy #feedinglittles #arfidawareness

Taking your kid (especially a picky eater) to the grocery store to help pick out produce is positively related to:

🥦1. Kids requesting more fruits and veggies
🥕 2. Kids trying more fruits and veggies at home
🍅3. Kids learning to enjoy eating more fruits and veggies AS A PART OF THEIR REGULAR DIET.

🗣️Comment VEGGIES for my latest book on how to help kids learn to love vegetables, now out in paperback! 250 5-star reviews say you can go from FUN to YUM with consistency, and it often starts with bringing them with you to shop for produce.

🥰Happy Shopping!
Melanie

Research:
(See citations in both of these articles for even more evidence.)
Metoyer BN, Chuang RJ, Lee M, Markham C, Brown E, Almohamad M, Dave JM, Sharma SV. Fruit and Vegetable Shopping Behavior and Intake among Low-Income Minority Households with Elementary-Aged Children. Children (Basel). 2022 Dec 30;10(1):82. doi: 10.3390/children10010082. PMID: 36670633; PMCID: PMC9857335.
Keith, J. , Brunt, A. , Stastny, S. and Bezbaruah, N. (2015) Accompanying the Primary Grocery Shopper Is Positively Related to Requests for Purchase of Fruits & Vegetables in Third & Fourth Grade Students. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine, 5, 340-347. doi: 10.4236/ojpm.2015.58038.

#melaniepotock #slpfeeding #feedingtherapy #feedinglittles #ashaigers #arfidawareness #groceryhaul #groceryshoppingtips

✨Feeding therapy sessions with extreme picky eaters, may look different. Each child is unique,& there are times that I will gently nudge to help a child build the skill to try new foods & truly find joy in food! So…

“Eat your vegetables and then you can have dessert”
✨I still would never say this in feeding therapy, but I might say “Let’s practice smelling these 3 veggies & then, let’s shoot baskets with this Nerf ball! WHY? This may be hard for some kids, & having a fun activity to keep anxiety down while we practice helps keep the focus on fun!

“You’re such a good eater!”
✨I probably wouldn’t be so general, but instead say something like “Wow, you took a whiff of that broccoli like you were a pony smelling fresh grass in a field! What did your nose think of that broccoli? You sure good at using your nose!” WHY? I believe in being honest with kids. They are there to learn about new foods. We use all of our senses. And, if using their nose to explore a new food is challenging for them, I’m going to compliment them in a fun way!

“You can get down after 3 more bites”
✨I would never put this type of ultimatum in place with an anxious eater in feeding therapy, but I do HAVE ONE RULE: During our short session, kids need to stay at the table while we explore new foods. If the best they can do is just sit & watch (exploring with their eyes) that’s fine too! I help kids to gradually learn to stay at the table for about ten minutes at a time. We may take a break & come back once more, depending on their age. It’s truly my only rule. Examples of exceptions would be: A child who needs to stand & rock beside the table (totally fine!) or a child who needs to get up & move BRIEFLY due to attention challenges – then we find a way to adapt the seating to provide that support. For example, we sit on large inflatable balls to add that needed movement.

❤️Drop a heart if this resonates with you.

Thanks!
❤️Melanie

#melaniepotock #pickyeaters #slpfeeding #feedingtherapy