24: How can I support my child to be more flexible in their eating instead of more rigid?

Ever had a meltdown on your hands because you bought the "wrong" brand of strawberries or a different noodle shape? In this episode, Sarina breaks down why kids get rigid about specific foods — and how to gently build flexibility without turning mealtime into a battle. **Key concepts** - Predictability helps kids feel safe; rigidity is predictability taken to an extreme, often used as a form of control - Packaged foods are engineered to be identical every time — kids can detect small differences even when adults can't - "Parenthesis foods" — foods that only get accepted under a growing list of specific conditions (bowl, brand, show, temperature) - Flexibility-building works best in small doses: a single bite of something new, not a full plate **Parent reflection questions** - Is there a food in our house that's become a "parenthesis food"? What's on the list of conditions? - Am I offering variety in a way that feels safe (small, optional exposures) or overwhelming (a whole new plate at once)? - Where could I loosen just one variable this week — bowl, temperature, brand — without asking for a big change all at once?