Nutrition & Diet Intervention

No, we do not advocate for restrictive diets, especially for growing children. Our approach focuses on balanced nutrition that supports proper growth and development while managing weight. Rather than eliminating food groups or severely restricting calories, we emphasize portion control, increasing nutrient-dense foods, and making healthier choices within all food groups. Our goal is to help children develop a healthy relationship with food that is sustainable for life.

Picky eating is common in children, and we have specific strategies to address this challenge. We take a gradual, positive approach that includes involving children in food selection and preparation, repeatedly offering new foods in different ways without pressure, using food chaining (introducing new foods that are similar to accepted foods), and creating positive mealtime environments. Our dietitians work closely with your family to develop customized strategies based on your child's specific preferences and challenges.

We accommodate a wide range of dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, kosher, halal, gluten-free, and allergen-free diets. Our dietitians are experienced in creating nutritionally complete meal plans that respect these restrictions while still supporting healthy weight management. We can also work with cultural food preferences, helping families maintain traditional eating patterns while making appropriate modifications to improve nutritional balance.

The frequency of consultations depends on your child's individual needs. Typically, we start with more frequent sessions (every 2-4 weeks) during the initial phase to establish the nutrition plan and provide necessary education. As families become more comfortable implementing changes, sessions may be spaced further apart (every 6-8 weeks) for monitoring and adjustments. Our goal is to gradually transition families to independence in maintaining healthy eating habits, with less frequent check-ins over time.

We understand that budget constraints can impact food choices. Our dietitians provide practical strategies for eating healthfully on a budget, including meal planning to reduce food waste, shopping guides for economical nutritious foods, tips for saving money on groceries, affordable substitutions for more expensive items, and batch cooking ideas. We can also connect eligible families with resources such as SNAP, WIC, or local food assistance programs to help supplement food budgets.