#50: Gardening with Kids: How it can help your picky eater and how to get started now

In this final episode of Season 2, I bring on my dietetic intern, Caitlin, to chat about gardening with your toddler. She shares about why she decided to start gardening with her son, what the benefits are, changes that she’s seen, and her tips on how to get started. I know it sounds like a daunting task to have your toddler help out with such a big activity, but it really does have so many developmental benefits, not to mention the benefits that can be seen if your toddler is picky around certain foods - particularly veggies! Remember how I’ve shared in the past all the positives that can come from food exploration for your toddler? Gardening is a really fun, hands on way to get that exploration in, without any pressure to eat - it’s just a fun way for them to play in the dirt, and help you at the same time, two things toddlers love! As always, if you get value from this episode, please remember to rate and review it on Apple Podcasts. AND make sure you subscribe so that you get a notification when I’m back for Season 3! ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: If you’re looking for more information on what and how to feed your toddler, including a complete breakdown of the benefits of food exploration and other ideas to try with your toddler, it’s time to enroll in my Feeding Toddlers online course! Get access to all the foundational information for feeding your toddler, plus all my best strategies for preventing or reversing picky eating, now! (https://courses.mylittleeater.com/feedingtoddlers) FOOD EXPLORATION: https://mylittleeater.com/food-exploration/ GARDENING TIPS: https://mylittleeater.com/gardeningtips/ ABOUT CAITLIN: Caitlin is a soon-to-be Registered Dietitian, and is currently completing her dietetic internship through Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax with My Little Eater. Caitlin’s passion for dietetics began when she took an interest in eating healthier herself, and realized she wanted to help others do the same. She has a passion for supporting local and sourcing her food products as close to home as possible – which led to her passion for gardening! Aside from her professional activities, Caitlin values family above all and you can typically find her spending any free time she has with her husband and her five-year-old son, Asher. Some of her favorite activities include hiking, gardening (of course), and spending time enjoying local cuisine. Having a son of her own, she knows firsthand the challenges that come along if picky eating sets in. One of her areas of interest is infant and child nutrition, and learning how to make mealtimes more manageable for families. SKIP TO... Welcome Caitlin! (2:04) Caitlin’s experience feeding a picky eater (3:54) How gardening has helped her with picky eating (9:30) How Caitlin’s son helps in the garden (14:23) Tips for beginners (20:22) What can you easily grow indoors? (28:40)