The Follow-Up: What Causes Picky Eating

Most parents think picky eating starts in toddlerhood. But according to Jenny Best, founder of Solid Starts, the roots go much deeper and earlier.

In this Follow-Up episode, Jenny and I dig into the real reasons picky eating happens, what behaviors unknowingly contribute to it, and why feeding is so much more than just offering food. It’s emotional. It’s behavioral. It’s developmental. And yes—it’s totally fixable.

Together they discuss:

• Why gagging isn’t always a red flag (and how it helps build skills)

• The science behind chewing and why purees don’t teach it

• How spoon-feeding past a certain age can delay oral development

• Why how we feed is just as important as what we feed

• The sneaky role anxiety and pressure play at mealtimes

• What Jenny wishes more pediatricians (and parents) understood

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