Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for The Nourished Child
Kids & FamilyParentingHealth & FitnessNutrition

The Nourished Child

Jill Castle, MS, RDN — Pediatric Dietitian & Childhood Nutrition Expert

Raising a healthy eater shouldn't feel confusing or overwhelming. The Nourished Child is your trusted guide for child nutrition, feeding kids with confidence, and navigating real-life parenting challenges — from picky eating and food-focused kids to teen appetites, nutrient needs, young athletes, and raising children in all body sizes.

Hosted by Jill Castle — pediatric dietitian, author, and mom of four — this podcast blends practical feeding strategies with body-positive parenting, holistic child wellness, and the latest research on children's physical health and emotional wellbeing. Each episode helps you build healthy habits, support your child's relationship with food, protect their self-esteem, and create a family culture where children thrive at every size.

Whether you're dealing with an overweight child, a selective eater, a child who's always hungry, or you simply want to nurture healthy habits and positive body image, The Nourished Child offers the compassionate, evidence-informed guidance you need to raise a well-nourished, confident, resilient child — inside and out.

Play
Open in
  • 22 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 32 min
  • English

Episodes 22

NewestOldestLongest
All20Unplayed20In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • #271
    Today · 44 min

    Are Seed Oils in Baby Formula Safe? A Researcher Explains

    If you've scrolled social media lately, chances are you've seen someone call seed oils toxic, and that has a lot of parents second guessing the infant formula sitting in their pantry. In this episode, pediatric dietitian Jill Castle sits down with Dr. Corrie Whisner, an infant nutrition researcher at Arizona State University, to separate the science from the scare. They cover why fat is foundational in the first year of life, why seed oils show up in formula to provide fatty acids a baby cannot make on its own, how the FDA regulates every product on the shelf, and what actually matters the next time you're standing in the formula aisle trying to make a choice. If you've ever wondered whether you picked the right baby formula, this conversation is here to help you feel confident instead of confused. Resources: Dr. Whisner's Lab at ASU: https://whisnerlabasu.weebly.com/ Instagram: @corriewhisner LinkenIN: /corriewhisner Fearless Feeding: https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Feeding-Healthy-Eaters-School-dp-1732866201/dp/1732866201/ref=dp_ob_title_bk More resources: https://thenourishedchild.com

  • #270
    September 10 · 14 min

    Oreogate: What a Viral Lunchbox Feud Teaches Us About Food Restriction

    A cookie ban in one family's lunchbox turned into a school-wide group chat feud, complete with trading, secret stashes, and a full-on parent showdown. It's a funny story, but it's also a near-perfect real-world example of what happens when a food gets fully restricted. In this episode, pediatric dietitian Jill Castle breaks down the research behind the forbidden fruit effect, why restriction tends to backfire and increase a child's preoccupation with a food, and what to do instead using the feeding and eating pillars of her Whole Child Healthy Model. If you've ever wondered why your "no" around a certain snack seems to make your child want it more, this episode gives you the science and a practical, non-shaming path forward. Join our parent group program: Raise a Child Who Thrives - https://thenourishedchild.com/kids-thrive-experience/

  • #269
    August 20 · 45 min

    Fresh Food Isn't Always More Nutritious (with Jennie Norka)

    Frozen food gets a bad reputation it hasn't earned. If you've ever felt a flicker of guilt tossing a bag of frozen peas into dinner, or wondered whether a frozen entree is really as nutritious as something made from scratch, this episode is for you. I'm joined by Jennie Norka, MPH, Senior Director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at the American Frozen Food Institute, to walk through what's actually happening behind your freezer door. We take on five common myths, one at a time: that frozen food is less nutritious than fresh, that it's loaded with preservatives, that frozen meals are automatically unhealthy, and that reaching for frozen makes you a lazy parent. Jennie explains how flash freezing locks in nutrients at the moment of harvest, often preserving more nutrition than produce that's been sitting in your fridge for a week. We also get into label reading, a side-by-side comparison of frozen entrees versus homemade recipes, and one food safety detail every parent of a baby or toddler needs to hear about frozen vegetables. Whether you're feeding a family on a tight schedule, a tight budget, or both, you'll walk away with practical ways to build balanced meals using what's already sitting in your freezer aisle. In this episode: • Why the "fresh is always more nutritious" belief doesn't hold up • How individual quick freezing (IQF) actually protects nutrients and texture • What's really in a frozen meal, and how to read the label with confidence • A side-by-side comparison: frozen entrees vs. homemade recipes • The one food safety step every parent should know before serving frozen vegetables to a baby or toddler • Simple ways to build a balanced meal using frozen fruit, vegetables, and proteins • How frozen food can help stretch a grocery budget and cut down on food waste Resources mentioned: • The American Frozen Food Institute: frozenadvantage.org • Sign up for the Munch newsletter and more parent resources at thenourishedchild.com

  • #268
    August 6 · 15 min

    The Back to School Eating Reset: Lunches, Schedules, and Sanity

    The first week of school, the lunchbox is packed the night before and everything feels manageable. By week two, most of us are scrambling at seven in the morning wondering how we lost the thread so fast. In this episode, pediatric dietitian Jill Castle shares the simple lunch framework she used with her own four kids and still walks parents through in practice today, along with a practical approach to after-school snacks and dinner timing for school-aged kids ages five to fourteen. No complicated meal plans, no pressure for variety every single day. Just a realistic, repeatable rhythm that holds up in a real family's week.

  • #267
    July 23 · 46 min

    The Truth About Omega-6 Fats and Kids, with Researcher Dr. Martha Belury

    You have probably seen it in your feed: "Seed oils are toxic." "Omega-6 fats cause inflammation." "Never cook with vegetable oil." But is any of that actually true? And more importantly, what does it mean for what you are feeding your children? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Martha Belury, a registered dietitian and professor at The Ohio State University who has spent more than 30 years studying fatty acid metabolism. She is one of the few researchers in the world who has actually tested the omega-6 theory in clinical settings, and her findings may surprise you. We cover: • What omega-6 fatty acids are and why they are considered essential nutrients • The only two fatty acids your body cannot make on its own and why children need them for healthy growth • Why the science does not support the idea that seed oils cause inflammation • The difference between acute and chronic inflammation, and why parents are often confused about what inflammation actually is • What decades of cardiovascular research tells us about vegetable oils and heart health • Why there is still no RDA for essential fatty acids and what that gap means for your family • How to think critically about nutrition claims on social media, especially ones that lead with fear Dr. Belury also shares what the adult research on linoleic acid and metabolic health may suggest for children with obesity, and why pediatric-specific studies in this area are so urgently needed. This is not a conversation about what oil to buy. It is a conversation about how to think clearly when you are surrounded by conflicting information and you just want to feed your kids well. Connect with Dr. Martha Belury: • LinkedIn: Martha Belury • Ohio State University, Department of Food Science and Technology: fst.osu.edu Resources mentioned in this episode: • The Nourished Child Blueprint: thenourishedchild.com/blueprint • Kids Thrive at Every Size by Jill Castle More from Jill: • The Nourished Child podcast: thenourishedchild.com • Jill's website: jillcastle.com • Instagram: @i.am.pediRD

  • #266
    July 9 · 17 min

    Does Your Child Need More Protein? What the Research Actually Says

    Protein bars in the lunchbox. Protein powder in the smoothie. Protein added to everything from waffles to mac and cheese. If it feels like protein is suddenly everywhere! You're not imagining it. In this episode, I'm pushing back on the idea that more protein is automatically better for kids, walking through what the RDA actually recommends, what newer research on "optimal" protein intake really means, and the research-backed downsides of overdoing it, especially for younger kids. I also draw a clear line for families navigating severe picky eating, ARFID, or an eating disorder, where the real concern is too little protein, not too much. I'll share a story from my practice that shows exactly how this trend can backfire, and what I want you to know before you reach for another scoop. Get The Protein Guide here: www. thenourishedchild.com/product/protein

  • #265
    June 18 · 38 min

    Puberty, Periods, and Your Daughter's Health: A Conversation with OB-GYN Dr. Melisa Holmes

    If you have a daughter who is heading into puberty or is already in the middle of it, this episode is one you will want to save. Jill Castle sits down with Dr. Melisa Holmes, board-certified OB-GYN, co-founder of Girlology, and co-author of Youology: A Puberty Guide for Everybody. With more than 25 years of clinical experience in pediatric and adolescent gynecology, Dr. Holmes brings both the facts and the warmth that parents need when navigating this major chapter of their daughter's development. In this conversation, you will learn: What puberty actually involves beyond breasts and periods, and why the timeline matters Why puberty is starting earlier in girls, and what is driving that trend How earlier puberty affects body image, peer relationships, and emotional development Why a period is a vital sign, and what to watch for when it stops or never shows up What girls should know before their first period, and how to have that conversation The connection between nutrition, bone health, and the menstrual cycle What to do if your daughter has painful periods, and when to seek care The truth about hormones, mood, and the myths that keep circulating How to find an adolescent and pediatric gynecologist Dr. Holmes also addresses the impact of GLP-1 medications and the current cultural pressure around thinness, how to be your daughter's most trusted source of information, and three specific things parents can do right now to support a girl through puberty. Whether your daughter is nine or fifteen, this episode gives you the foundation to talk openly, stay calm, and show up as the steady presence she needs. Resources mentioned in this episode: Girlology website: girlology.com (includes the Dr. Momfidence AI resource) Book: Youology: A Puberty Guide for Everybody by Dr. Melisa Holmes Instagram: @girlology Find Jill's programs for parents at thenourishchild.com.

  • #264
    June 4 · 16 min

    Why Summer is the Season Your Child's Health Quietly Slides

    Summer should feel like a break. But for parents of kids between nine and fourteen, it often quietly unravels everything that kept their child healthy during the school year. Sleep shifts later. Breakfast gets skipped. Screens fill the hours. Movement drops off. And by August, you're wondering how things got so far off track. In this episode, I walk through what the research actually shows about what happens to children's health over the summer break, why tweens are especially vulnerable, and what one structural change can make a meaningful difference before the drift sets in. If you want to go deeper, I'm also hosting a free live webinar in June where I walk parents through a complete summer health framework. The registration link is in the show notes. If this episode helped you, please like, subscribe, and leave a review. It helps more parents find reliable, research-based information.

  • #263
    May 21 · 41 min

    The Future of Food Allergy Treatment for Kids Is Here

    Food allergies in children are on the rise, but so are treatment options. In this episode, I interview Christopher Parrish, a leading food allergy expert and researcher, about the latest treatments for kids with food allergies, including oral immunotherapy, biologic medications, and emerging therapies that may change the future of allergy care. If you're a parent navigating food allergies, this conversation will help you understand: New treatment options for children How oral immunotherapy works The role of biologics in food allergy treatment What's on the horizon for safer allergy management For more resources, visit the Latitude website: www.latitudefoodallergy.com If this episode helped you, please like, subscribe, and leave a review. It helps more parents find reliable, research-based information.

  • #262
    May 7 · 20 min

    Raising Healthy Eaters Without Food Fear or Food Rules

    Nutrition advice for kids can feel overwhelming right now. In this episode, pediatric dietitian Jill Castle breaks down popular nutrition trends like seed oils, sugar, protein obsession, clean eating, and the Dirty Dozen list. She explains what parents actually need to know, what's worth paying attention to, and how to support a child's health without creating fear or rigid food rules.

  • #261
    April 23 · 43 min

    Raising Kids with a Healthy Body Image (Without Pressure or Shame)

    What if the way we feel about our child's body matters more than anything we say? In this powerful conversation, I'm joined by body image psychotherapist Zoë Bisbing to unpack what body image really is—and how it quietly develops in childhood. We talk about the subtle, often unintentional ways parents influence their child's relationship with their body, and why even well-meaning efforts to "help" can sometimes backfire. You'll learn: What body image actually is (and why it's more than appearance) The difference between body positivity and body neutrality Early signs your child may be struggling with body image Why some children are more vulnerable than others How parental "vibe" around food and bodies shapes kids more than words What to do if your child says, "I hate my body" When to seek professional support—and what therapy looks like We also explore a powerful idea: that supporting your child's body image often starts with your own awareness, beliefs, and healing. This episode will help you create a home where kids feel safe, respected, and supported in their bodies—no matter their size.

  • #260
    April 9 · 21 min

    Why Your Teen Won't Come to Dinner

    Family dinners can get complicated during the teen years. In this episode, pediatric dietitian Jill Castle explains why teens' appetite rhythms change, why they may resist family meals, and how parents can maintain healthy habits and strong connection without pressure or conflict.

  • #256
    February 5 · 20 min

    The Hidden Ways Parents Shame Kids About Food (And How to Stop)

    Most parents don't mean to shame their kids about food — but it happens more often than we realize. In this episode, Jill Castle breaks down the subtle ways food shame shows up at home, why it backfires, and how parents can shift toward supportive, emotionally safe feeding practices that help kids thrive.

  • #255
    January 22 · 38 min

    ARFID vs Picky Eating: Red Flags, Anxiety Signs, and What Helps

    When picky eating is extreme, it's rarely just about the food. Pediatric dietitian Katharine Jeffcoat explains how anxiety and sensory challenges impact eating, what helps beyond nutrition, and how to reduce pressure at the table—plus a simple "food science" approach to support progress.

Showing 1–20 of 22 episodes