End the Mealtime Meltdown: Using the Table Talk Method to Free Your Family from Daily Struggles over Food and Picky Eating

by Stephanie Meyers, Carla Naumburg (Foreword)

“For parents who are committed to raising a generation of healthy eaters, this is an important tool!”
—Susan Albers, PsyD, New York Times bestselling author of Eating Mindfully Restore joy at your dinner table using the innovative Table Talk Method! But I made it just the way you like it. If you eat your broccoli, you’ll grow up big and strong . No dessert unless you finish your dinner! Sound familiar? If you’re the parent of a “picky eater,” you’ve likely tried everything to get your kiddo to eat their veggies. And like many other parents, you might have noticed these ideas fail. Your child may not become a gourmand overnight, but the good news is there are ways to help them explore new food—and restore some much-needed mealtime peace. Written by a dietitian and mindful eating expert,  End the Mealtime Meltdown  serves up the familiar yet largely unexamined phrases parents say to kids at mealtime, and shows that what you say to your kids can actually sabotage your efforts to instill healthy habits. With this practical guide, you’ll discover the communication skills you need to end conflict at the dinner table—for good. In the book, you’ll   If you’re craving better ways to deal with turmoil during meals and instill a healthy curiosity about food in your family, this go-to guide is your lifeline.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Food

200 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2022

About the author

Stephanie Meyers, MS, RDN is registered dietitian nutritionist and the founder of Families Eating Well, a nutrition practice helping parents coach healthy eating habits in kids. She is the Nutrition Manager in The Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a former instructor in the nutrition department at Boston University. She presents seminars world-wide on mindful eating, family nutrition and cancer survivorship. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed the game of struggle with kids. I used it with mine, and although we are way from perfect it’s changed the tenor of the conversation at the table. It’s great to have prompts and ideas to try. And the author uses real life examples and isn’t judgy or lecturing. It’s an easy quick read with lots of useful info.

[Michele · Rating 1 out of 5]

It sounds like a bunch of vague philosophy to cajole your kid into eating. I am very skeptical that asking my 7 year old to identify what she notices about the color, texture and scent of her food will convince her to eat a greater variety of things. That being said, I will try anything.

[Kelly Paradis · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some good advice in this book about how to have more positive mealtime interactions with your kids. I like the idea to focus on the five senses and ask open-ended questions. I have definitely done ALL of the things the book says you are not supposed to do: bargaining, begging, "you didn't even try it!", etc. It does seem like we are making some mealtime progress by putting some of these ideas into action.

I think that helping kids have positive associations with foods should be accessible to everyone, and this book just doesn't hit the mark for this. It's too long and repetitive, and the language could be simpler. It could have been a long blog post. I don't think most people have time to read this much about how to talk to their kids about food, or to journal about it. Regarding the language, as an example, one sentence is "gastronomic intelligence is an intrinsic attribute that everyone has the capacity to strengthen". I'm not sure it needs to be that complicated.

Thank you to New Harbinger Publications and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookish Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like everyone else reading this book, I have a mini me fussy eater. A 5-year-old who is reluctant to eat many things, mealtimes are known to end in tears without any food eaten. My hopes for End the Mealtime Meltdown was maybe a little different - my fussy eater is currently being assessed for ASD and more than anything, I wanted to educate myself and understand what goes through the minds of children when it comes to their relationship with food.

End the Mealtime Meltdown gave good advice and it made me change my way of thinking and approaching things in the future. "Appreciating new flavors and food takes time and practice much like learning the shapes and sounds of letters." Sounds obvious, but this was something I'd never thought of before, and the book is full of quotes like this which I've highlighted and saved for future reference.

I did think the book was slightly long winded and could have been condensed slightly, however overall I got what I wanted from reading.

[Lauren C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could have been simplified into a much shorter format. It basically says to ask open ended questions when your child opposes the food that is served. Phrases starting with ‘tell me about’, ‘what are you noticing’ and what would help? Having add ons in the form of condiments or herbs, and using ING verbs like sitting, talking, chewing to change those behaviours. Also being curious and asking about the 5 senses, like I’m curious what the inside of a blueberry looks like. This way of engaging takes the pressure off the child and doesn’t dismiss their complaints. I’m going to be trying this new way of engaging to reduce table talk struggles but this guide alone is too narrow to address the complexities of picky eating.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a part of my nutrition reading this month. It was a good choice. I read this as much as I read any self help book though- which is skim through and find the practical pointers that are relevant to my family. There are a few inspiring views to try. My takeaways-
Talk about the food at the table instead of about how your child is eating/not eating the food.
Add curiosity and questions to your mealtimes instead of coercion. It redirects their attention so the unpleasant food becomes interesting, which can lead to trying it.

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skipped around a lot, but this book gave a lot of good advice that I am going to be trying with my very picky six year old. We have done a lot of the don't do's that are talked about in the book. I had to highlighted so many of the different quotes that I am hoping to use this summer. It changed my view on how kids look at food, and hopefully we will be able to open our daughter's choices of food.

[Megan Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful, practical advice. You can start the exercises in this book right away. Great advice not only for mealtime, but life as a parent in general. The importance of being curious and connected is the essential message.

[Lucy Doughty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the concept but the book itself could have been better organized and more concise.