The 411 on Toddler Nutrition & Eating: Starting Solids, Allergies & Picky Eaters (w/ Dr. Ari Brown)

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, we’re back with pediatrician Dr. Ari Brown for the ultimate 411 on toddler nutrition and eating habits—from starting solids at 6 months to navigating picky eating without turning dinner into a power struggle. We break down why “food before 1 is just for fun” isn’t actually true, the best first foods to introduce (it’s NOT what you think!), and the biggest choking hazards parents need to watch for—plus how to tell gagging vs. choking in the moment. Dr. Ari also walks us through allergy basics (when to intro + what reactions actually look like), when to ditch the bottle, what a normal toddler day of eating really looks like, and how to think about macros (or honestly… not think about them too much—if your child eats a variety of foods over the week, they’re probably doing just fine). Then we get into the things parents are constantly worrying about: sugar before 2, red dye, ultra-processed “kid foods,” and why toddlers randomly reject foods they used to love. Finally, we cover picky eating red flags, “safety foods,” and the #1 mealtime mistake that actually makes picky eating worse. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast! (feat. Dr. Ari Brown) 00:04:09 Myth BUSTED: “Food before 1 is just for fun” 00:06:34 Best first foods at 6 months (what to start with) 00:15:15 Toddler travel hack: diaper bag food scissors 00:16:05 Biggest early feeding “NO” foods (choking hazards) 00:18:51 Choking 101: what parents actually need to know 00:19:47 Choking stats: how common is it, really? 00:22:51 Gagging vs. choking (how to tell instantly) 00:24:36 Introducing allergens without freaking out 00:29:31 3 feeding myths parents need to unlearn 00:31:22 Ditching the bottle + what if they won’t drink milk? 00:34:03 What a toddler’s day of eating should look like 00:36:38 Toddler macros (and why fat matters) 00:40:25 Foods to limit (processed, fried, “kid food” defaults) 00:42:20 Building a foundation for lifelong eating habits 00:50:32 Should you limit sugar before 2? 00:53:38 Red dye: what’s the actual concern? 00:56:07 “They loved it yesterday…” why toddlers suddenly reject foods 00:58:23 Picky eating: what’s normal vs. a red flag 01:02:51 “Safety foods” (how to use them the right way) 01:03:55 The #1 mealtime mistake that worsens picky eating 01:05:15 Do kids actually need a multivitamin? 01:06:05 Picky eater vs. feeding aversion (the line) 01:09:20 Top 3 fixes for picky eating (from Dr. Ari) 01:10:20 Utensils: when should kids start using forks & spoons? 01:13:31 Thanks for listening! --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to our sponsors this week: *Quince: Go to https://www.Quince.com/ALEX for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! *Care.com: For a limited time, go to https://www.Care.com and use code TWOPARENTS for 20% off your initial Care.com subscription or a Senior Care Advisor Plan. *Ziprecruiter: You can try ZipRecruiter for FREE at https://www.ZipRecruiter.com/ALEX *Veracity: For up to 60% off your order, head to https://www.VeracityHealth.co and use code TWOPARENTS *Magnetic Me: Right now, new customers can get 15% off sitewide at https://www.magneticme.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Two Parents & A Podcast: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/twoparentsandapod TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@twoparentsandapod Follow Alex Bennett: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/justalexbennett TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@justalexbennett Follow Harrison Fugman: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/harrisonfugman TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@harrisonfugman Find our guest: Website | https://www.draribrown.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/aribrownmd TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@aribrownmd --------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices