Plateful Parenting

Episode 50 of  Plateful Parenting is a special one. When Christine and Chanel started this podcast, they simply wanted to create the conversations they wished had existed when parenting through eating disorders, anxiety, body image struggles, and food-related challenges felt overwhelming and isolating. Fifty episodes later, those conversations have done more than support listeners — they've change...

In Episode 49, Christine and Chanel unpack something many parents are faced with: the powerful role of health and wellness marketing in shaping how kids think about food, bodies, and safety. From viral social media claims to emotionally charged commercials and influencer sound bites, today's nutrition messaging is often designed to feel urgent, simple, and morally clear. But for kids—especially th...

In Episode 48, Chanel and Christine sit down with dietitian Lauren Dorman, MS, RD, CDE to talk about what parents are really navigating when food feels hard: stress, regulation, emotional wellbeing—and the messages kids absorb every day at school. Lauren's work centers on Nine to Nourished , a framework that expands "nutrition" beyond food rules and checklists, and instead focuses on whole-child n...

In Episode 47, Christine and Chanel dive into one of the most emotionally charged—and incredibly common—realities families face during eating disorder treatment: what happens when parents (or co-parents) don't agree on what the child needs, what "serious" looks like, or how to move forward. This episode is honest, grounded, and deeply validating—especially for the parent who feels like they're car...

In Episode 46, Christine and Chanel dive into the cultural noise of "New Year, New You" and why this pressure-filled mindset doesn't support real well-being—especially for parents raising kids in recovery or trying to model a healthy relationship with food, movement, and self-worth. Instead, they offer a grounded, uplifting alternative: New Year, Same Me — with more intention, gentleness, and grat...

In Episode 45, Christine sits down for a deeply personal and moving conversation with Jane Lee — community leader, advocate, and proud Korean American — to explore how culture, identity, and family dynamics shape our earliest experiences with food and body image. Jane shares powerful reflections from her childhood as a Korean immigrant growing up in the Midwest, navigating the contrast between tra...

In Episode 44, Christine and Chanel sit down with Alex Caspero, RD of Plant-Based Juniors — one of the most trusted, evidence-based resources for parents who want to raise plant-forward kids without shame, rigidity, or overwhelm. Alex brings a deeply practical, accessible, non-dogmatic approach to feeding kids more plants — and this conversation is packed with tools for calm mealtimes, picky eatin...

In Episode 43, Christine and Chanel sit down with Dr. Alexis Conason —clinical psychologist, eating disorder specialist, and author of The Diet-Free Revolution —for a powerful, compassionate conversation about breaking generational cycles of food and body shame. Together, we explore: ✨ How to raise kids with body trust while you're still healing your own ✨ What to say when your teen says, "I fee...

🎙 Episode 42 — GLP-1s, Body Autonomy & the Intuitive Eating Legacy with Evelyn Tribole In this powerful follow-up conversation, Chanel is joined once again by Intuitive Eating co-founder and trailblazer Evelyn Tribole . Together, they unpack the current wave of GLP-1 medications —including Ozempic and Wegovy—and explore how these drugs intersect with body image, nutrition culture, and the core ten...

Season 2, Episode 6 of The Plateful Parenting Podcast With Christine Heller & Chanel Kenner, RD Guest: Dawn Smith-Theodore, LMFT | Author of Mother, Men & Me and Tutu Thin In this powerful continuation of our conversation with therapist, author, and former professional dancer Dawn Smith-Theodore , we explore how generational patterns, perfectionism, and secrecy shape our children's relationships w...

In this episode of Plateful Parenting , Chanel Kenner, RD and Christine Heller sit down with Dennis Bulani , farmer and author of What a Farmer Wants You to Know About Food . Together, they unpack one of the most overlooked aspects of how families relate to food—where it actually comes from. From his boots-on-the-ground perspective, Dennis walks us through the disconnect between modern food market...

Episode 39 — Beyond Wellness: What Actually Builds Body Trust in Our Kids (Part 2) Hosts: Chanel Kenner, RD & Christine Heller 🎧 Season 2, Episode 3 In Part 2 of our deep dive into body trust, we unpack the modern "wellness" culture our kids are growing up in—because it's no longer just about what's said at the dinner table. From "clean eating" to weight-loss injectables to viral "SkinnyTok" tren...

Season 2, Episode 4 of The Plateful Parenting Podcast With Christine Heller & Chanel Kenner, RD Guest: Morgan Gallo, comedian, advocate & host of My Body, My Jokes What happens when recovery challenges your career, your identity, and everything you thought you wanted? In this powerful and honest conversation, Christine and Chanel sit down with Morgan Gallo —actor, dancer, and former touring comedi...

What do Lord Byron's vinegar-soaked potatoes , 1920s cigarette diets , and SlimFast commercials have in common? They all shaped the way we think about food, bodies, and "health"—and their echoes are still showing up in how our kids are fed and talked to today. In this first of a two-part series, Christine and Chanel take a whirlwind (and eye-opening) tour through diet culture across the decades ,...

"Why would they say that?" "Should I say something to the school?" "What if it changes how my child sees themselves?" In this episode, Christine and Chanel unpack one of the most painful (and common) experiences for families navigating disordered eating and body image issues: body bullying. Whether it's teasing about weight, comments about a lunchbox, or exclusion from sports—body-based bullying l...

We're back! Season 2 of Plateful Parenting kicks off with a real-time deep dive into the whirlwind of back-to-school season —a time full of new routines, big feelings, and (you guessed it) confusing food and body messages. In this episode, Christine and Chanel reflect on key moments from Season 1 and set the tone for what's ahead: even deeper dives into feeding challenges, eating disorders, ARFID,...

🎙️  Season 1 Finale with Dr. Jackie Shiels In the final episode of Season 1, Christine Santucci and Chanel Kenner, RD, welcome back clinical psychologist and fan-favorite Dr. Jackie Shiels for an honest, compassionate, and laughter-filled conversation about something we all grapple with: the words we use around food and bodies. Together, we unpack the everyday language that can shape a child's rel...

Episode 33: GLP-1s, Body Shame, and Family Conversations: A Candid Talk with Samantha with Christine Santucci and Chanel Kenner, RD In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Christine and Chanel sit down with Christine's cousin, Samantha, for a vulnerable conversation about GLP-1 agonist medications—like Ozempic and Wegovy—and the emotional terrain surrounding them. As someone currently taking...

In this episode of  Plateful Parenting , co-hosts Chanel Kenner, RD and Christine Santucci sit down with Jenn Benson , a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and founder of 360 Nutrition Consulting . With years of experience supporting kids, teens, and families through eating disorder recovery, Jenn brings a compassionate, weight-inclusive approach to healing re...

In this special episode, co-hosts  Chanel Kenner, RD and Christine Santucci sit down with Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN , founder of Kids Eat in Color , to talk about picky eating, mealtime stress, and how to build a positive food relationship with your child—without pressure or power struggles. Jennifer shares how her own experiences as a parent and dietitian led to creating one of the most truste...

In this episode, co-hosts Christine Santucci and Chanel Kenner, RD, sit down with  Dawn Smith-Theodore —former professional ballerina, licensed therapist, and host of the Tutu Thin podcast—to explore the often-overlooked relationship between dance culture, body image, and eating disorders . Dawn shares her personal journey through the pressures of ballet, her own recovery from disordered eating, a...

In this enlightening episode of  Plateful Parenting , we're joined by Keira Oseroff Lambert, a licensed therapist and faculty member at the Ellyn Satter Institute, whose work focuses on feeding dynamics, eating disorder recovery, and trauma-informed care. Keira shares her journey into the field of eating disorder treatment and how she became involved with Ellyn Satter's approach to competent eatin...

In this powerful episode of  Plateful Parenting , cohosts Chanel Kenner RD and Christine Santucci are joined by  Kelsey Gilchriest , a peer mentor with Equip and an inspiring voice in the eating disorder recovery space. Kelsey shares her personal recovery story, her work supporting families as part of Equip's care team, and her insights on what makes peer mentorship such a unique and vital piece o...

In this week's episode of  Plateful Parenting , we're joined by parent coach Oona Hanson , a nationally recognized expert in helping families navigate diet culture, body image concerns, and disordered eating. With a background in education and a deep understanding of the emotional landscape families face, Oona offers compassionate, practical guidance for raising body-confident kids in a world stee...

In this insightful episode of " Plateful Parenting ," hosts Christine Santucci and Chanel Kenner, RD, sit down with Dr. Jacqueline Shiels, clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, to discuss what parents need to know about eating disorder treatment for teens and adolescents. Drawing on her vast experience that has encompassed residential treatment and outpatient pediatric care, Dr. Sh...