Picky eating, food battles, and “just eat one more bite” can turn meals into a stress storm for both parents and kids. In this episode of That’s Good Parenting, pediatrician and new children’s book author, Dr. Lum Frundi shares a completely new way to look at food anxiety and how it feels through your child's eyes.
Dr. Lum shares why so many kids shut down at the sight of new foods, how our well-meaning language about “picky eaters” can actually reinforce fear, and how her new book, The Worry Garden: Planting Seeds of Calm, helps families name their “worry worms” and grow to try new foods and beyond.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Why picky eating and food anxiety are rarely about kids being “difficult” or “defiant”
- How unfamiliar foods, textures, and past gagging experiences lead to scared feelings at mealtimes
- The problem with labels like “picky eaters” can shape their identity
- Practical ways to reframe mealtimes
- How parents can use Lum's book The Worry Garden
- Simple first steps parents can take at the very next meal
About Dr. Lum Frundi
Dr. Lum Frundi, MD is a pediatrician and the author of her first children’s book, The Worry Garden: Planting Seeds of Calm. In her practice, she supports families through some of the most stressful parts of childhood—especially picky eating and food anxiety. Dr. Lum is passionate about helping parents move from power struggles to curiosity, connection, and compassion at the table and in everyday life.
Connect with Dr. Lum
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlummd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/generationalwellbeing/
- Her book: The Worry Garden: Planting Seeds of Calm – available on Amazon and wherever you buy books: https://a.co/d/aRWvDfR
Connect with Dori
- Website & children’s book coaching: https://www.doridurbin.com
- Want to help shape future kids’ books written by experts like Dr. Lum? Join the That’s Good Parenting Club to vote on story ideas, give feedback, and get early access to new releases.
https://club.thatsgoodparenting.com/club
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