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Episode 3:
Cultivating Joy in the Kitchen

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About the episode

We might think a parent’s main responsibility in the kitchen is to offer healthy foods. But Melanie Potock, a certified speech language pathologist who specializes in feeding children, offers a different view. Our job is more fundamental than that — our job is joy. And if you’re too tense or distracted to find the joy, our next guest has some strategies you might appreciate. Amisha Klawonn, of the Centered Mama, offers techniques to help you be more centered and present.

MEET OUR GUESTS

Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP, is a mom who once had a picky eater. She’s experienced firsthand 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 three books, including co-authoring the award-winning Raising a Healthy, Happy Eater. Learn more.

Amisha Klawonn runs the Centered Mama to help busy moms reduce stress and feel more grounded. She’s an integrative physical therapist and is trained in yoga and Pilates. And she’s a Women's Wellness Educator through WellGrounded Life as well as Certified Life Coach. She knows the body inside and out. Check out her course, Peaceful. Calm. Resilient.


Episode highlights

1:19 – When kids become naturally picky

2:55 – What is a feeding disorder?

7:30 – Ideas for bringing kids into the kitchen

11:11 – The 3 E's — expose, explore, expand

15:40 – Kitchen Questions

19:25 – Meet Amisha Klawonn

25:47 – Exercises for mindfulness

28:28 – Closing words

Our favorite quotes from the episode

“Kids fall into a natural phase of picky eating from about 18 months of age all the way up to almost age 3, and that's a long time.” — Melanie Potock

“That's how we all learn to love new foods, just by taking a lot of tastes over time.” — Melanie Potock

“When you ask, ‘What's a parent's, say, main responsibility?"‘ you'll often hear professionals say that it's the parent's responsibility to present healthy food, but to me, personally, that's actually not our main responsibility. Our job is to parent joyfully … So sure, we need to provide healthy food for our kids, but family meal times are about creating joy around the dinner table.” — Melanie Potock

“Above all else, we want to make sure that we keep it joyful and we use that time to connect with our kids.” — Melanie Potock

“We can devote 10 minutes to anything in our day.” — Melanie Potock

“It's about laying these positive memories in their brain around food. It's not always about taking a bite.” — Melanie Potock

“We just try to get him in the kitchen with us, and chopping vegetables with us, and stirring soup, and making stuff in the instant pot, just so he can at least see what the whole foods look like before they're created into a meal. And so that eventually, when he feels ready, he'll be able to take a bite without having such a strong reaction.” — Amisha Klawonn

“Mindfulness is achieved by focusing on the present moment, and focusing on that moment by being able to acknowledge how you're feeling right then, being able to acknowledge what your thoughts are in that moment, and just being able to acknowledge how your body feels in that moment. And then being able to accept that without judging it as being right or wrong. It just is what it is in that moment.” — Amisha Klawonn

“Sometimes, just bringing in that minute of stillness can make a huge difference in how you react to what's happening when you head into the kitchen.” — Amisha Klawonn