Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP is a mom who once had a picky eater. She’s experienced first-hand the stress that parents feel when they are worried about their child’s nutritional health. Fast forward to today, and you’ll find Melanie blending her knowledge of feeding therapy with practical parenting strategies that help the entire family eat healthier. She’s an international speaker and author of six books, including co-authoring the award-winning Raising a Healthy Happy Eater. Whether you’re raising a child who seems to be on the path to loving all kinds of healthy foods (and you want to keep it that way) or if your child is stuck in the chicken nugget rut, “Coach Mel” is here to guide you.
Melanie Potock
Pediatric Feeding Expert and Author
Expert Feeding Help
for Professionals and Parents
Melanie Potock’s keynotes, courses, books & articles focus on raising kids to be healthy, happy eaters. From babies to toddlers to teens, “Coach Mel” is here to help.
Raising a Healthy Happy Eater Isn’t Always Easy
Get Expert Advice on Feeding Babies, Toddlers & School Age Kids,
Including Extreme Picky Eaters
Upcoming Events & Courses
Babies
This book is designed to answer the most common questions about feeding babies and toddlers up to age three. It also debunks myths while offering practical tips on making mealtimes joyful and less stressful. It teaches a no-nonsense, straightforward approach to responsive feeding that’s focused on nurturing trust and communication between parent and child. Read more about Responsive Feeding here.
Toddlers & Preschoolers
In her award-winning book, Raising a Healthy Happy Eater, Melanie and her co-author, pediatrician Dr. Yum, teach parents how to guide their children on the path to adventurous eating. Parents report that toddlers are the most challenging to feed, thanks to active little bodies and fleeting attention spans. Learn how to lay positive foundations for eating at 6 months of age, navigate the “terrific twos” and avoid picky eating in the preschool years! Get the brand new, updated 2nd edition. Read more about feeding young children here.
School Age
Kids can cook right along with their parents from an early age, but it’s especially important from preschool and into the elementary school years. What’s the number one food group that parents struggle with the most? Vegetables! The secret to helping kids love any kind of food is to follow Melanie’s Three E’s: Expose, Explore, Expand. You’ll learn how to use the Three E’s and create veggie-love in Melanie’s book, Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables with 100 Easy Activities and Recipes. Read more about feeding school-age kids here.
More fun!
As a speech language pathologist, Melanie combined her love for language, little kids and food by writing a children’s book! You are Not an Otter: The Story of How Kids Become Adventurous Eaters is available on Kindle, in paperback, and in both English and Spanish. Don’t miss the parent tips in the back of the book! Learn about all of Mel’s books here.
I won’t stitch the feeding therapy video - you’ve probably seen it - a feeding therapist who appears to be overly assertive in getting a child to eat while another adult holds down the child’s hands.💔This is a difficult video to watch, and a difficult one for me to comment on. I’ve wrestled with this for days.
A short clip never gives us the whole picture. We don’t know the child’s
history, the treatment plan, what happened before or after this moment, or the clinical reasoning behind what we’re seeing. The family who loves this
child is just trying to help this kiddo - let’s remember that.
But, my DMs are blowing up, asking me to do something.
So, because this reel is being widely shared, I want families to hear
something important:
This is not what MOST feeding therapy looks like in the USA today.
I’m not saying it never happens, but the majority of specialists are not
using such aggressive techniques.
In 25+ years as a pediatric feeding therapist in the U.S., and after
teaching more than 25,000 therapists over the years, I have seen our field
continue to move toward approaches that respect a child’s communication,
regulation and autonomy while still helping children take the next
developmental step.
♥️Feeding therapy can absolutely include gentle nudges. Children sometimes need support tolerating discomfort as they learn something new.
But there is a meaningful difference between gently challenging a child and
physically preventing a child from responding to that challenge.
This video does not represent the feeding therapy I teach. I’ve never used these methods and I know this is the case for the majority of feeding specialists today.♥️
My concern? I don’t want parents who see it to assume that this is what will happen if they seek feeding therapy for their child in the USA.
I’d be so grateful if you would share this post with your own followers, to
reassure our communities that feeding therapy can be, and most often is,
respectful of each child and their unique skill sets.
♥️Melanie
Melanie Potock, feeding therapy, pediatric feeding therapy, feeding
therapist, picky eating, responsive feeding, child autono
One of the easiest ways to help a hesitant eater become more comfortable around food is to take the pressure off eating altogether.
🛒Pretend grocery store is one of my favorite activities because children can interact with food in a completely different way.
✨They’re learning that food is interesting...not stressful.
✨They’re hearing food names over and over while sorting, comparing, counting, pretending, and making choices.
✨Every playful interaction builds familiarity, and familiarity often comes before willingness.
As a pediatric feeding specialist, I also love grocery play from a speech and language perspective because children are practicing so many important communication skills:
🥕 Expanding vocabulary (foods, colors, categories)
🛒 Following and giving directions
🍎 Asking and answering questions
💬 Using conversational turn-taking
🧺 Sequencing (“First we shop, then we pay, then we bring the groceries home.”)
🍌 Pretend play and symbolic thinking
🔢 Early math concepts like counting, matching, and sorting
For children with feeding challenges, pretend grocery store can become a safe place to explore foods before they’re ever expected to taste them. The conversations we have about food matter just as much as the bites we hope children will eventually take.
💕 Want to set up a tiny pretend grocery store in your playroom? Comment GROCERY and I’ll send you the link to all my top QUALITY picks, including the cutest little cart you’ve ever seen!
♥️Melanie
Melanie Potock, picky eating, pretend grocery store, feeding therapy, food exposure, toddler activities, speech language development, pretend play, food play, pediatric feeding specialist, vocabulary development, early language, child development
One of the simplest ways to reduce toddler power struggles around food (and throughout the day) is to replace constant commands with modeling.
Instead of asking:
❌ “What do you say?”
❌ “Say please.”
❌ “Tell Grandma thank you.”
Try saying the words yourself.
👉🏻For example:
Toddler: “I need more ketchup.”
You: “Oh, you’d like more ketchup, please? Absolutely! Here you go.”
You’re not ignoring manners.
You’re teaching them.
Toddlers learn through repetition, connection, and hearing language used naturally. When every interaction becomes a quiz (“What do you say?”), children can become more focused on avoiding correction than on learning the skill.
And here’s the fun part...
When they eventually say “please” all on their own, celebrate it!
💕 “Oh, I love hearing ‘please!’”
💕 “That was such a nice ‘please.’ Yes, I’d be happy to get that for you.”
💕 “Thanks for asking so politely!”
That positive feedback is often much more powerful than reminding them to say it in the first place.
👉🏻Of course, there are moments when we do prompt children to use polite words. I simply try to reserve those moments instead of making every interaction a command.
Model first.
Redirect gently.
Celebrate their independent efforts.
❤️ Manners are caught just as often as they’re taught.
🥰Melanie
Melanie Potock, toddler manners, positive parenting, toddler communication, language development, speech therapy, parenting toddlers, responsive parenting, gentle parenting, modeling language, reducing power struggles
WHEN CAN I PRESSURE MY CHILD TO EAT?
Almost never.
✨But that doesn’t mean I never nudge a child in feeding therapy.
In fact, gentle nudging is one of the most important things I do in feeding therapy.
The difference is this:
Pressure asks a child to do something they aren’t yet capable of doing. CAPABLE, no comfortable. Many kids feel a bit uncomfortable trying new things, but when they don’t feel capable, it’s not ok to nudge.
✨A nudge, if they are capable, invites them to take the very next tiny step while feeling safe, supported, and successful.
Instead of:
❌ “Take one bite.”
❌ “Just try it.”
❌ “You have to eat it before you leave the table.”
I might say:
💕 “Let’s put it right here on your plate.”
💕 “I’m going to smell mine.”
💕 “Watch how crunchy this sounds.”
💕 “Your job is just to hold it for one second.”
💕 “Let’s see if it can touch your lips.”
No pressure.
No battles.
Just one tiny step forward.
This is how I nudge in feeding therapy.
Not because anxiety disappears...
But because children learn they can tolerate a little discomfort, recover from it, and keep going.
That’s how confidence grows.
That’s how feeding skills develop.
And that’s how we help children discover joy in food.
💬 I know you must have questions, and I’m here to help! Drop them in the comments, or share this post with a friend who is wondering about how to give that little nudge.
🥰Melanie
Melanie Potock feeding therapy, picky eating, ARFID, responsive feeding, pediatric feeding specialist, toddler eating, food refusal, feeding development, mealtime anxiety
I tell all my audiences…One of the biggest mindset shifts in feeding therapy is learning to ask:
❤️ “What’s making this hard?”
instead of
❤️ “Why won’t they just eat?”
Maybe they’re overwhelmed.
Maybe they’re unsure.
Maybe they’re still learning.
Maybe the fear is real, but the danger is not.
❤️When we respond with curiosity instead of frustration, children feel safer exploring food.
❌That doesn’t mean lowering expectations.
❤️It means supporting them while they build the skills to meet them.
📚Comment BOOKS if you’d like to learn more about raising confident, adventurous eaters – I wrote 6 books on the topic, and I’ll send you the latest links!
Thanks for following me @mymunchbug_melaniepotock for daily tips!
🥰Melanie
Melanie Potock, picky eating, feeding therapy, responsive feeding, toddler eating, sensory feeding, family meals
If you’ve ever left a pediatrician appointment thinking, “They didn’t really hear my concerns,” you’re not alone.
♥️But before assuming they don’t care, remember this...
Pediatricians are juggling growth, development, sleep, vaccines, behavior, safety, nutrition, and so much more during a very short well visit.
Sometimes the problem isn’t a lack of concern.
⏰It’s a lack of time.
✨A separate telehealth or in-person consult is gold – because it’s dedicated time to find solutions.
So…
📸 Take photos of every meal and snack for several days, including before and after pictures and the time each was offered. I learned this tip from pediatrician Dr. Yum from @doctoryumproject , my co-author of Raising a Healthy Happy Eater!
🎯 Decide what you’re hoping to accomplish before the appointment. Are you looking for reassurance, a few strategies, a referral for a feeding evaluation, or a follow-up plan?
☎️ Remember, if feeding is your biggest concern, ask whether you can schedule time to discuss it privately, away from your child. Feeding concerns often deserve a dedicated conversation.
✨Finally, one of the easiest ways to make eating patterns easier to understand is to offer meals and snacks on a consistent schedule. That helps build appetite, creates predictable routines, and gives everyone - including your pediatrician - a clearer picture of what’s happening.
💕 You and your pediatrician share the same goal: helping your child thrive.
🎙️Comment SCHEDULE and I’ll send you my free feeding schedule to download as your guide.
🥰Melanie
Melanie Potock pediatrician, picky eating, feeding therapy, feeding schedule, toddler nutrition, food refusal, feeding evaluation, responsive feeding, pediatric feeding specialist, child nutrition
3 things I Appreciate on a Monday:
♥️You
♥️Chocolate dipped in Peanut Butter
♥️all the ☕️☕️☕️☕️
Thanks for following me!
🥰Melanie
Sometimes I share feeding tips.
Sometimes I share playful ways to help kids build developmental skills.
Because the truth is... they’re all connected. 💛
🍽️Yes, this account is mostly about feeding kids, but I loved this game and couldn’t resist sharing it!
Sometimes the simplest ideas become the biggest hits.🧩This little puzzle tunnel turns an ordinary puzzle into a game full of movement, anticipation, teamwork, and laughter.
Kids practice:
✨ Fine motor skills
✨ Visual scanning
✨ Turn-taking
✨ Hand-eye coordination
✨ Problem-solving
✨ And best of all... they’re having so much fun they don’t even realize they’re learning.
Don’t have a puzzle? Try sending:
• lightweight toy golf balls
• Toy cars
• Plastic animals
• Large craft sticks with letters or numbers
Sometimes all it takes is a cardboard tube to create a memory they’ll ask to do again tomorrow.
❤️ Save this for a rainy day or share it with someone who loves easy play ideas.
Safety Tip: Position the end of the tunnel below your child’s eye level so puzzle pieces land on the floor or can be caught around waist height instead of flying toward their face. Always have children sit while playing on stairs, and supervise closely.
🥰Melanie
Melanie Potock, toddler activities, cardboard tube activities, puzzle activity, fine motor skills, visual motor skills, indoor activities, rainy day activities, preschool activities, family games, child development, play-based learning, speech therapy, occupational therapy
Some of our strongest childhood memories aren’t about the food itself.
They’re about what the food represented.♥️
For me, it was summer evenings on the Chesapeake Bay, gathered around newspaper-covered tables, cracking fresh Maryland blue crabs with my family.🦀
When I moved away, I wasn’t ready to let that tradition go. So every summer, I have crabs shipped overnight so we can continue what my parents started decades ago.
This year, something felt especially meaningful.
Although he’s been “present” for the past two years at the table, this year my grandbaby was old enough to crack open the crabs and pick out the crab meat. He sat at the table for the longest time, having the BEST time with the entire family.♥️
📚Research on family rituals tells us they’re different from everyday routines. Rituals create a sense of identity, belonging, and connection that children often carry into adulthood. In fact, many adults recreate the same family meal traditions they experienced as children when they begin raising families of their own. This is a topic I explore more in Raising a Healthy Happy Eater – 🎙️just comment BOOKS to peek inside!
As a pediatric feeding therapist, I spend a lot of time helping families reduce stress around food. But I also know this:
The goal isn’t just raising children who eat a variety of foods.
It’s raising children who feel loved, connected, and welcome around the table.♥️
Maybe one day, my grandbaby will gather his own family around a crab feast and tell them, “This is what our family has always done.” ♥️That would mean more to me than he could ever know.
🥰I’d love to hear about your family.
What’s one meal tradition you’ve carried from one generation to the next—or one you’d love to begin?
✨Melanie✨
Melanie Potock, family traditions, family meals, family rituals, mealtime connection, responsive feeding, family dinner, raising healthy eaters, feeding therapy, childhood memories, family connection
🤔What if the behavior you’re seeing at mealtime isn’t the problem...
...it’s the clue?
One of my favorite moments from this conversation with Dr. Minkin
(@alisaminkin ) - talking about behavior at mealtimes.
Food refusal, leaving the table, gagging, crying, shutting down... those are the behaviors we notice first.
But underneath that “hat” may be anxiety, sensory processing differences, oral motor challenges, physiology, appetite challenges, medical concerns, or a combination of factors.
After helping more than 10,000 children over the past 25+ years in feeding therapy, I’ve learned that lasting progress begins when we stop asking, “How do I stop this behavior?” and start asking, “What’s making eating so hard for this child?” and “What is this child trying to tell me?” That’s the conversation every parent and feeding professional needs to hear.
💕 Comment POTOCK and I’ll send you:
• the direct link to this podcast episode
• a discount code for my popular course, ARFID, ASD & Anxiety
🥰Melanie
Melanie Potock, ARFID, anxious eating, feeding therapy, pediatric feeding specialist, sensory processing, food refusal, pediatric anxiety, oral motor, picky eating, autism, responsive feeding
Toddlers are wired to say,
“I do it!”
Let’s use that.
Invite them into the kitchen.
Even tiny jobs help build confidence.
✔️ Washing produce
✔️ Stirring yogurt
✔️ Spreading cream cheese
✔️ Cutting bananas with a kid-safe knife
💦Messes can be cleaned.
♥️Confidence lasts much longer.
🎙️🔪Comment KNIFE if you’d like my favorite kid-friendly kitchen tools and kid-safe knives that frankly, I cannot do without! They are the best!
🥰Melanie
Melanie Potock, toddler meals, picky eating, feeding therapy, cooking with kids, food exposure
After helping more than 10,000 children over the past 25+ years as a pediatric feeding therapist, one thing matters more to me than anything else:
Your trust.
❌💰That’s why you’ll never see me recommend a product simply because someone offered to pay me. In fact, I rarely participate in “affiliate” partnerships, although I get offered at least 10 per week.
♥️If I share something, it’s because I’ve used it in my own life, with families, or in feeding therapy, and I truly believe it helps make mealtimes easier, safer, or more enjoyable.
⭐️In fact, I turn down far more partnerships than I accept, and although I have specific rates for brand partnerships, if I don’t trust the product, then you won’t trust me, so the 💵 just is NOT worth it.
So when you see me working with a brand, you can be confident it earned its place here first. 👉🏻Your trust is NOT something I’m willing to trade.
💛 I’d love to hear your thoughts on the latest chatter on Reddit/Facebook about SLP and OT “grifters” (their terminology, not mine) – Do you think that’s a thing? Or do you understand why they sell so many products on their social media? Ready – GO! I truly want to know your thoughts in the comments…
🕵️♀️BTW, in full transparency…Here are a few of the brands that I have worked with over the past few years, and I am honored to have had brand partnerships with @onceuponafarm , @lovechildorganics , @drinkorgain , @gobekids , @nestleusa , @innobabyllc , @ellaolaofficial and @veza_innovations ♥️
Melanie🥰
Melanie Potock, feeding therapy, pediatric feeding therapist, picky eating, toddler nutrition, evidence-based parenting, trusted recommendations
Pediatric Feeding Expert and Author
Melanie's Advice Shared In...
Courses for Parents & Professionals
Melanie offers both on-demand courses and live-streaming Masterclasses. CEUs are optional for both OTs and SLPs, yet audience members include parents, RDs, pediatricians & other health care professionals.
Need help with a picky eater, or just want to prevent kids from falling into the chicken-nugget rut? As a parent, SLP or OT, what do you need to know about child nutrition? What about the anxious eater – Could this be more than just picky eating? Melanie’s on-demand course subscriptions provide the answers!
Want more in-depth instruction in a small group, virtual setting? Register for one of Melanie’s Masterclass!
Explore course options here.
Parenting Advice
Melanie’s advice has been shared in The New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Parents Magazine and more. Over 150 articles for both parents and professionals are found here or contact Melanie for a personal one-hour coaching session via video chat.
Masterclass participants get a 25% discount on coaching.
Learn more about professional and parent coaching here.
Keynote Speaking
An international speaker, award-winning author and pediatric feeding specialist, audiences find Melanie’s advice to be practical and possible, even in the most challenging cases. That’s because Melanie is in the trenches, working closely with the most extreme picky eaters and supporting families and health professionals around the world. Melanie has been invited to speak at over 100 different events, including the American Speech Language Hearing Association’s National Conference and the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo.
Audiences say it best: If you are looking for a professional speaker who can “provide practical solutions” for parents, caregivers and therapists and your company needs a “highly knowledgeable, organized presenter” with “energy and enthusiasm” who can deliver a “dynamic course”, then your best choice is Melanie Potock. Contact Melanie here.
Product Consulting
Need expert input on your new parenting product? Melanie has provided expert advice for Orgain, Inc., Holland Health Care, Inc., Healthy Height, Inc., NumNum, LLC and numerous health care and parent product companies.
Looking for an expert to educate your team on how children learn to become adventurous eaters, baby-self feeding or the importance of purees? Feeding is developmental, just like learning to crawl, walk, run. At least 1 in 4 typically developing children have trouble learning to eat! Raising a healthy, happy eater requires the right tools and the right advice. Melanie provides company education and collaboration via webinars, social media and creating educational videos for your audience.
Contact Melanie here.
