Fern Rodrigues 7/6/26 Fern Rodrigues 7/6/26

Fussy Eating Digested

Fussy eating is supposed to be a temporary normal phase of children’s development, but how we handle their behaviour during this period dictates how long it is going to last…

Fern Rodrigues 10/3/26 Fern Rodrigues 10/3/26

UPFs in Early Life

All foods have a place in a fairly balanced diet. Problems appear when variety is replaced with just a few foods. Especially if those foods are UPFs. Even more so if we’re talking about young children’s diet.

Fern Rodrigues 2/8/25 Fern Rodrigues 2/8/25

It’s More Than Just Calcium

Many children enjoy and even favour some plant-based milk alternatives over dairy for their sweeter taste. This is all fine as long as all nutritional needs are met. It’s not always the case.

Fern Rodrigues 2/11/24 Fern Rodrigues 2/11/24

Reasons For Keeping Allergens On The Menu

Taking away core foods from non-allergic young children’s diets in the name of safety against reactions can come with a high price and negative consequences - for the children.

Fern Rodrigues 31/8/24 Fern Rodrigues 31/8/24

Dietary Requirements Responsibilities

When it comes to children's food safety in the early learning environment, the old saying fits perfectly: "It takes a village to raise a child". Everyone plays a specific role and all are equally important.

Fern Rodrigues 4/5/24 Fern Rodrigues 4/5/24

Gluten Intolerance

How can we navigate the ocean of confusing information about feeding a child with gluten sensitivity while making sure they aren’t missing out on nutrition?

Fern Rodrigues 2/3/24 Fern Rodrigues 2/3/24

Foods Blanket-Ban: Evidence-Based or Fear-Based?

Are we acting in children’s best interest when we adopt practices such as blanket-ban of certain foods? Who are we really keeping safe?

Fern Rodrigues 9/1/24 Fern Rodrigues 9/1/24

Lactose-Free Doesn’t Have to Mean DAIRY-FREE

Many early childhood educational services (daycare, preschool) have a dairy avoidance or ban approach to allergy management. This article discusses the problems with this practice and practical alternatives to keep nutritious dairy on the menu.

Fern Rodrigues 27/7/22 Fern Rodrigues 27/7/22

Runny Nose and Fussy Eating

It's normal that a child who is fighting a bug becomes fussier about their food. They experience it in a different way. It feels different, it feels new, and even unpleasant. This is mostly due to blocked or runny nose, or even anosmia…

Fern Rodrigues 24/6/21 Fern Rodrigues 24/6/21

Food Jags

Children will often favour familiar foods and avoid challenging new ones. This behaviour is known as food jagging and is a real threat to a varied diet, specially when a child already accepts a limited list of foods.