*Guest: Misa Pignatoro, founder of* Misa’s Clean Kitchen

The Livin’Sky Podcast, Season 3 Episode 4

From Picky to Adventurous: Kitchen-First Strategies Kids Love with Misa Pignataro

If you’ve ever wondered how to help picky eaters become adventurous eaters, you’re in the right place.

Picky eating is one of the most common concerns parents bring to feeding specialists, and it’s often a symptom, not the root problem. In this episode of The Livin’Sky Podcast, I sat down with Misa Pignataro, a certified culinary nutritionist, health coach, and former first-grade teacher, to talk about what really helps kids go from “no way” to “I’ll try it.”

Together we explored practical, biology-informed strategies that support the whole child — body, brain, and environment — so families can finally enjoy one peaceful meal everyone can share.

SPOTIFY | A PPLE

Why picky eating isn’t just a phase

Many parents are told that picky eating is normal and will fade with age, but as rates of sensory issues, nutrient deficiencies, and gut imbalances rise, it’s clear that today’s picky eating looks different.

Children’s eating behaviors are deeply connected to biology, environment, and nervous-system regulation. When a child’s body feels dysregulated from stress, sleep loss, inflammation, or blood-sugar swings, appetite and curiosity shrink. True feeding progress starts when we calm the body first and then invite exploration.

How Misa turned her child’s eating around

Misa’s youngest daughter was diagnosed with failure to thrive and had no interest in solid foods until age two. After discovering multiple food sensitivities and healing her gut, Misa began reintroducing foods slowly using play and curiosity instead of pressure.

She found that consistency, connection, and exposure mattered far more than force. Over time, her daughter became an adventurous eater, and Misa built an entire career helping other families do the same.

How to help picky eaters become adventurous eaters at home

One of Misa’s biggest tips is simple: bring your kids into the kitchen.

When children touch, smell, and prepare food, they’re building oral-motor confidence and sensory familiarity. This is the foundation of my BLOOM Framework, particularly the Open Exploration pillar, where curiosity replaces fear.

Start with small, age-appropriate jobs:

Let toddlers sprinkle salt or wash vegetables
Invite older kids to chop soft produce or stir a sauce
Use tools like Misa’s Taste-o-Meter to rate new foods from “not yet” to “I love it”

Each exposure teaches safety, curiosity, and connection are three essentials for overcoming picky eating.

Family-style meals end short-order cooking

If you’re tired of cooking separate meals, try family-style or build-your-own bowls.

Burrito bowls, taco bars, or stir-fry nights allow everyone to choose ingredients while still sharing one balanced meal. This reduces mealtime power struggles, boosts autonomy, and increases exposure to a variety of foods. All of these support selective eaters in expanding their diets.

Blood-sugar balance for calmer kids

Balanced nutrition isn’t just about nutrients. It’s about regulation.

Misa and I talked about how protein, healthy fats, and fiber keep blood sugar steady, which directly impacts focus, mood, and willingness to try new foods.

Breakfast is the best place to start. Replace sugar-loaded cereals and juices with eggs, smoothies, or leftovers from dinner. Balanced blood sugar means fewer crashes, fewer meltdowns, and more joyful meals.

The problem with ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are everywhere — school snacks, birthday parties, even “kid-friendly” yogurts. These foods hijack taste buds and create cravings for sugar and refined carbs, which further dysregulate appetite and mood.

By choosing real, whole ingredients most of the time, families can restore natural hunger cues and support the gut–brain connection that underlies healthy eating behaviors.

Practical swaps that make a difference

You don’t have to overhaul your pantry overnight. Start small:

Replace flavored yogurts with plain yogurt and fruit
Choose ketchup and dressings without added sugar or dyes
Cut the sugar in baking recipes by half; they’ll still taste sweet
Buy bread with simple ingredients or bake your own when possible
Read every label; if you don’t recognize an ingredient, skip it

These simple swaps reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and teach kids that healthy food can taste delicious.

Focus on connection over control

Both Misa and I agree that pressure backfires. “Just one bite” tactics may work in the short term but create anxiety around food in the long run.

Instead, keep the adventure high and the pressure low. Mealtime should feel safe, playful, and consistent. When kids feel connected and calm, their bodies shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest, and that’s when true progress happens.

It’s never too late to start

Whether your child is a toddler, a teen, or somewhere in between, it’s never too late to build a healthy relationship with food.

Start with small, doable changes — better lighting, calmer routines, consistent mealtimes, and a little play in the kitchen. Over time, you’ll see curiosity grow and battles fade. With these simple steps, you’ll know how to help picky eaters become adventurous eaters while creating calmer, more connected mealtimes.

Enjoyed this episode?

Subscribe to The Livin’Sky Podcast so you don’t miss new episodes.
Leave a quick review—it helps more parents find this show.
Join my newsletter for free guides and thoughtful notes on feeding, gut health, sleep, light, and development. (First to know about new episodes and workshops!)

If your gut says your child’s picky eating is more than a phase, explore my BLOOM-aligned resources and support options—gentle, root-cause, and connection-first.