Podcast Episode 422: Picky Eaters, Family Drama & That One Aunt: Holiday Meals Made Easier with Jordyn Koveleski Gorman, SLP
Ever looked around the holiday table, noticed your child eating only a dinner roll while everyone else is serving up unsolicited parenting advice, and thought, “I should’ve just stayed home and microwaved nuggets”? If the stress of navigating picky eating, family expectations, and Aunt Donna’s casserole guilt trip has you bracing for impact this season—you’re in good company.
Enter Jordyn Koveleski Gorman, SLP, a licensed speech-language pathologist and feeding specialist who’s helped thousands of families worldwide manage mealtime meltdowns and selective eating with grace, humor, and zero shame at her website, Eat, Play, Say. She’s also a mom of two (with another on the way!), so she knows firsthand that “holiday meal” is often code for “performance parenting with cranberry sauce on top.”
In this laugh-out-loud and deeply validating episode, Jordyn shares her top holiday picky eating tips for kids, including why it’s not just OK but actually smart to feed your kid BEFORE the big holiday meal (yes, seriously). She breaks down the difference between a food preference and a food problem, how to handle well-meaning but nosy relatives, and genius ways to get kids exploring new foods without turning dinner into a hostage negotiation.
You’ll learn how to take the pressure off the plate (literally), use play to increase food tolerance, and navigate high-chair battles without feeling like a failure. Best of all, you’ll be reminded that one meal (especially one with 20 relatives and zero chill) doesn’t define your parenting.
So pour yourself some holiday coffee (or wine, no judgment), pop in those earbuds, and let’s make family meals less about stress and more about survival. You’ve got this-and you don’t have to eat the Jell-O salad to prove it.
In this episode of the No Guilt Mom podcast you’ll learn:
- The BIG difference between being a picky eater and having a real food issue.
- The genius tip for surviving holiday meals with selective eaters
- How to shut down that awkward side-eye from Aunt Dee when your kid skips the stuffing—without losing your cool.
- Fun, low-pressure ways to get your kid used to new foods without making dinner feel like a war zone.
Resources We Shared In This Episode:
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Access the full episode transcript HERE
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Brie Tucker
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