
This is the first in a collection of posts written in preparation for my first book Fearless Feeding. This is how it all started!
I’ve got news…big news! I’ve been writing this blog for over 2 years now and have learned a lot about the feeding struggles that parents face, including my own. While I love blogging, I wanted to do more. I wanted to reach more people.
I wanted to write a book.
In walks Jill Castle, pediatric nutrition specialist. I interviewed her for my Eating Disorder Prevention Series — and we hit it off. We both talked about the need for one, comprehensive book as an answer to modern-day feeding challenges but neither of us wanted to do it alone. But together….that just might be doable.
After a long road of coming up with a name, getting a proposal together, finding an awesome agent, and finally landing a book deal, we have arrived at this moment. The book, Fearless Feeding, due out in early 2013, will help parents with kids of all ages — from high chair to high school.
Our goal is simple and ambitious: we want to take the fear out of feeding by giving parents the tools, resources, and credible information they need to raise healthy and happy eaters. Whether you are trying to figure out what to feed your baby, unsure how to navigate picky eating, or clueless about how to talk to school-aged kids about weight and body image, the book will have the answer. And most importantly, it will help prevent future problems, making feeding easier and less stressful each year children get older.
That said, we don’t want to stick our heads in the sand and write this book. We want to get parents (that’s you!) talking about their challenges. We want to hear all of your voices. We want to invite every parent to have a say so we can make the book relevant.
That’s why we are launching our Fearless Feeding Community on Facebook where we will ask questions/run polls, post news and food ideas, run giveaways, with a huge final prize, and ask for stories. Please follow us and tell your friends — we’ve got some great stuff to give away as an incentive and to celebrate this launch.
First, we have two Bento lunch boxes with coupons for any Sara Lee bread products. I really like the Sara Lee Soft and Smooth line of whole-grain products. If your child has trouble accepting the rougher whole-grain bread these are perfect. We regularly use whole wheat mini bagels that contain 20g of whole grain per serving. Big A loves them. This package will also contain WomenHeart’s All Heart Family Cookbook. We will have two winners for this each at $40.00 dollar value.
Real Simple is donating some organizing products from their Bed Bath and Beyond line including a mug rack, erasable calendar, and a 3-piece trunk storage unit (pictured) great for organizing groceries and food items in the car. This is a $50 dollar value for one lucky winner.
Jill has more stuff to give away on her site so head over to the Just the Right Byte. She’s got a new Greek yogurt product from Chobani for kids and unique whole grain products.
This giveaway is closed.
Posts Included in the Series:
1. Announcing the Fearless Feeding Movement
2. The Only Guarantee I Can Make About Your Child’s Eating [Next]
3. Did You Make This Feeding Mistake the First 2 Years?
4. Expert Interview: Lucy Cooke, Ph.D.
5. The Feeding Strategy Every Parent Needs in Their Toolbox
6. Fearless Feeding Release Party!
7. The (No) Clean Plate Mom Comes Clean
8. Fearless Feeding 5 Years Later [Podcast]
It’s here! The most ambitious feeding book of our time: Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School
“Liked” on Facebook
I liked the Fearless Feeding Movement on Facebook!
Just liked Fearless Feeding on FB. Good luck!
I just liked the page! I am Jessica B-.
So excited about this project!
I liked you on facebook and I’m so excited about your book!
I liked you on facebook!
Just liked you on FB! Seems like a great idea you have!
I’d love to host you on http://imaginationsoup.net when you do your book tour! Congratulations!!!
I liked it on fb!
Shared post on fb!
I liked it on FB!
I already subscribe on RSS, but sent an e-mail to my sister (mother of 3 young boys) telling her about Fearless Feeder on FB 🙂
So excited about your book!!! Just liked the “Fearless Eating” page and posted on Facebook about this.
My son would love the bento box for his lunches at school!
Liked on fb.
Liked you on FB. Glad I found you!
I “liked” Fearless Feeding on Facebook! So excited! 🙂
I liked Fearless Feeding on FB. 🙂
I shared this post on FB.
I signed up for Raising Healthy Eaters e-mails. 🙂
I liked on fb. Cool giveaway.
I ‘like’ you (actually Fearless Feeding) on FB. I like you off FB, too 😉
Best of luck with the book – I look forward to it!
‘like’ fearless feeders on facebook!
I “liked” Fearless Feeding on Facebook. Sounds like a fabulous project.
Shared on Facebook!
Liked on FB!!!
Subscribed to RSS feed!!!
Signed up for email updates!
Hi – I liked Fearless Feeding on Facebook. Looking forward to your new book!
“Liked” you on FB!
Liked you on FB
No FB account, but I am also looking forward to your book. As I keep up with your blog, you remind me to back away from food pressure when it comes to my 3 1/2 year old. She’s picky, but we get the nutrition in by sticking with whole foods for the most part. Typical “5 smalls” day: oatmeal, whole fruit and whole milk yogurt, quesadilla on w.w. tortilla, popcorn and smoothie, w.w. pasta with peas. She’ll eat eggs, and peanut or almond butter, but no meat mostly. Although she does love chicken nuggets, I don’t want to serve that at home, it’s a special Happy Meal or kids’ party thing. We offer what we’re having, and she did “one polite bite” for a while. But since she didn’t like it, I felt that I was just reinforcing the notion that our food is undesirable. It became a focus to please Mommy, so we stopped. We eat dinner together and she participates in the family time. One thing I would like you to address in your book is the “I’m full” versus “I’m hungry” problem we have. Here’s what happens. She will say she’s hungry every time she sees me doing something not focused on her. It’s a ploy to control me. My response is lunch(or whatever meal is next) is coming soon. Then at that meal, “My tummy’s full.” I won’t fight that, so, with one bite taken, she’s onto the next thing even if it’s a nap. I’ll let her know that this food will be at the next meal so it doesn’t go to waste. Catching on to my frugality, now she’s trying to please me by saying, “Look I’m finishing my meal, not wasting it!” But that’s not good. I don’t want her to think finishing her plate is a virtue. I don’t give her too much in the first place, so I figure she’s not overeating for the “clean plate club”…yet. Sometimes she’ll say,”I want to save the rest for later,” which strikes me just right. Anyway, we go round and round, with her trying alternately to control the situation and to please me. She’s a good, sweet little girl and we just don’t put much emphasis on what or whether she eats, but I worry about it a lot. Especially the lack of veggies. Peas, once in a while raw carrots, or tomato sauce on pasta. No potatoes or sweet potatoes or corn… Any advice? I know, I know…buy the book. I will.
hooray! re-fb’d, re-tweeted & liked the new page. can’t wait to see more!
I liked Fearless Feeding on facebook
This will be interesting both professionally and as being a mother. I look forward what crowdsourcing* puts together and how the writers zip it for us to see the big picture in feeding a child, your own and if being responsible of feeding group of children.
I liked you in FB and told my friends to like too so they keep informed.
*Crowdsourcing: ” is the act of sourcing tasks traditionally performed by specific individuals to a group of people or community (crowd) through an open call” (Wikipedia)
Congrats on your book. Liked you on FB and will share. Here’s my challenge: my now 6 year old, fought self-feeding, refused to try new foods, lived for large periods of time on applesauce and crackers. Managed to grow and thrive, fortunately. Was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder and is borderline Aspergers. Has made progress, but still has SEVERE anxiety over trying new thigns, and is really fixated on what they LOOK like they will taste like.
Meanwhile, now almost three year old started out being my good eater, but is picking up her sisters bad habits, and is infinitely more stubborn. No developmental issues that I can tell. We eat family meals, I don’t make them anything different, it’s just that they only eat whatever the plain starch is. Sigh. I send the three year old to bed without dinner many a night because she refuses to eat what’s in front of her. yet her habits don’t change. what do you do when nothing from the books is working? I threw Ellyn Satler at the wall many times because nothing she said made sense for my sensory child. It is a dagger in the heart to my hubby and i because we LOVE food, love vegetables, love trying new things.
I not only “like” this on Facebook but love it personally!! There is such a need for a book like this to guide parents through the feeding adventure. I think it would be nice to have a chapter on getting parents on the “same page” with there child feeding philosphy. I find that sometimes one parent wants to take an intuitive eating approach but the other is into food rules. Good luck to you both!
Shared on FB and hoping that my parent friends will get involved to provide input!
I am so excited about this book. I am also an RD and the mommy of a toddler & I love ur blog. Congrats on the book. I “liked” fearless feeding on FB and will definitely tell my friends!
I’m also sharing this blog with a fellow new mom and dietitian who specializes in ED.
So proud of you, Maryann! I “liked” this on FB!
AND, I told a friend about Raise Healthy Eaters (in fact, I’ve told many!). Such a helpful resource!
I “like” fearless feeding and am excited already about the book.
I’ve also told my friends about Fearless Feeding.
I shared a link to this page on FB, as well!
Love it! I “like” it and I like it!
Liked the new page on facebook. Good luck with the book!
Shared on FB too
Liked the new page. Enjoy your blog and have adopted your philosophy of eating (although I slip sometimes).
I’d love easy ideas that the kids would LOVE (like what one would find on your website). Can’t wait to see the book!!!!
Liked new page on FB. Can’t wait for this book!
shared link on FB.
Shared link on FB
WONDERFUL NEWS! I thought very highly of your work and I know how hard it is to write/produce a book. Can not wait to get it. Thank you. Your work has been very inspirational to the Feeding Your Kids Program.
Like Fearless Feeding on FB
Liked on fb
Email subscriber. I love your posts! So helpful.
Liked the new group on facebook. I want your book NOW! 😀
Liked you on FB 🙂
Shared link on FB
Subscribed to email feed
“Liked”!
liked on fb
already signed up
shared on fb and on twitter
Like you on Facebook!
E-mail subscriber!
New facebook fan!
I subscribe via RSS feed 🙂
I tweeted the giveaway! Thanks!
I liked Fearless Feeding. Thanks!
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/MommaStaciA/status/147888312244383744
I subscribe to your RSS. Thanks!
Shared link on facebook.
Great news on the book!
I liked fearless Feeding on fB as Mechele JOhnson.
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/#!/mmjohnson555/status/147905428544692224
[email protected]
I am an email subscriber.
[email protected]
Liked on FB and Shared your blog with a friend. So excited for the book!!
“Liked” on Facebook! Congratulations on the book!
I liked Fearless Feeding on FB 🙂
I retweeted this blog!
I have done all three – Announced on my Facebook status the that my favorite food blog will have a cookbook out in 2013, “Liked” you on Facebook and sent an email to friends reminding them about your awesome blog. Doing all this was my pleasure though. I am due to have another child in March and that little girl will most certainly be raised the “Healthy Eaters” way.
Thanks so much!!
Liked you on FB and email subscriber. Gladly accept advice on dealing with the picky eater that my husband and I have created.
Thanks for the encouragement! I have “liked” Fearless Feeding on facebook. : )
I gladly shared this post on my facebook page.
I get the Raise Healthy Eaters email updates. Yesterday I told a friend via facebook message about Raise Healty Eaters for Fearless Feeding on facebook. She’s interested in your suggestions.
Congratulations! This is exciting news, and I can’t wait to read the book!
I liked Fearless Feeding on Facebook!
Can’t wait for the book. Just “liked” the FB page.
I also now get the RSS feed through google reader!
I liked on Facebook and wanted to share one of my challenges here: how to handle and adapt to a toddler’s changing tastes. I have always tried to prepare healthy, homemade meals for him. Some things he used to devour, like veggies or soup, he now barely eats any. He also doesn’t like to drink many liquids in large enough quantities. This can manifest itself into problems, digestively.
Shared on Facebook. Looking forward to learning more and reading your upcoming book.
I like Fearless Feeding on Facebook: Cori Eckstrom Westphal (facebook.com/coriwestphal)
coriwestphal at msn dot com
I’m an RSS subscriber via Google Reader.
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Tweet: http://twitter.com/coriwestphal/statuses/149002877690589184
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Just liked “Fearless Feeding” on FB. A friend referred me to your site.
I have liked and shared your blog on FB! I always enjoy the perspective this site gives.
Liked on Facebook!
Shared the post on facebook.
Emailed 8 friends about the blog and this posting.
Liked on Facebook 🙂
Shared the link on Facebook.
I liked your site on Facebook!
I liked your “Fearless Feeding” Facebook page.
I liked Fearless Feeding on Facebook
Liked on FB and shared the link on Mommy to Mommy FB group!
Shared link on FB with the LA Mommy group and liked on FB!
I ‘liked’ you on FB. 🙂
I signed up for email updates!
Liked on fb, already receive your news letters and already liked RHE on fb! Hope to see a chapter on plant based kiddos!
I re-tweeted!
Liked you on facebook 🙂
I liked your page!
i shared your link on facebook
signed up for your emails!
I liked you page on facebook!