DANI LEBOVITZ, MS, RDN, is a pediatric dietitian and founder of Kid Food Explorers, helping families transform mealtime struggles into moments of connection and joy. Through playful, hands-on food exploration, she nurtures curiosity and body trust, empowering children with lifelong confidence to thrive at the table and beyond. [...] | [...]

DIANA RICE, RDN, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor specializing in the intersection of parenting, food, and body image. Through her virtual practice, Tiny Seed Family Nutrition, she provides nutrition counseling for children and adults while helping families unlearn harmful diet culture messages. [...] | [...]

Foreword xi
Introduction xv

Part I What We've Inherited and the Foundations for Change 1

Chapter 1 Understanding Health and the Impact of Diet Culture 3
Chapter 2 Unpacking the Roots of Diet Culture in Our Food System 15
Chapter 3 The Pursuit of Thinness: How Diet Culture Shapes Our Relationship with Our Bodies 25
Chapter 4 You're the Narrator Now: Turning Awareness into Action 37

Part II Whole-Child Development and What Kids Are Learning About Food and Bodies 43

Chapter 5 Nutrition Matters: It Starts with Positive Feeding Foundations 45
Chapter 6 The Building Blocks of Everyday Kids' Nutrition 67
Chapter 7 It Starts at Home: Your Most Powerful Tools for Raising Food and Body Confident Kids 83
Chapter 8 From Toddlers to Teens: What Kids Really Understand About Food and Bodies 93
Chapter 9 Food Talk Traps: When Food Talk Teaches More Than We Mean 111

Part III What We're Passing On: Unpacking Diet Culture in Parenting 135

Chapter 10 Family Core Values: Shifting Toward a Positive Foundation 137
Chapter 11 Parenting Matters: Guiding with Confidence and Care 155
Chapter 12 Role of the Food Leader and Establishing a Food Positive Environment 169
Chapter 13 When Feeding Is Difficult: Supporting the Child in Front of You 187
Chapter 14 Putting It All Together: The Heart of Food Positivity 207

Part IV Scripts and Strategies for Compassionate Conversations 221

Chapter 15 How to Talk to Kids About Food (Without Shame or Fear) 223
Chapter 16 How to Talk About Bodies (So Kids Learn to Trust Theirs) 243
Chapter 17 Navigating Food Exploration (Making Food Fun for All Ages + Stages) 255
Chapter 18 How to Handle Food and Body Talk from Others (and Support Your Child Too) 271

Part V Raising the Next Generation 287

Chapter 19 A Systemic Change for Transforming the Food and Body Environment 289
Chapter 20 Partnering with Schools to Redefine Food Education 305
Chapter 21 An Inclusive Whole-Child Approach to Healthcare 323
Chapter 22 Raising the Next Generation to Be SAFE 335

Acknowledgments 345
Index 347