“My [age]-year-old will only eat [list the foods they’ll eat — e.g., plain pasta, chicken nuggets, apples, and crackers]. Everything else is a battle. Is this within the range of normal for their age? What typically drives this level of selectivity in kids this age, and what does the research suggest about how to handle it?”

“My child doesn’t just dislike foods — they seem genuinely bothered by certain textures. They gag on [describe textures: anything mushy / anything crunchy / foods that aren’t a uniform texture]. Help me understand the difference between typical picky eating and sensory-related food aversion. What signs would suggest I should get an evaluation?”

“Our mealtimes have become a battle. My [age]-year-old [describe what happens: refuses to sit at the table / cries when they see food they don’t like / demands a different meal / eats only if we allow screen time]. I want to reduce the conflict without completely surrendering to short-order cooking. What does a low-pressure mealtime approach look like in practice?”

“I want to expand my [age]-year-old’s diet but every time I introduce something new, it ends in a standoff. What are evidence-based approaches to introducing new foods to picky eaters — especially ones that don’t involve bribing, forcing, or making mealtimes miserable? Give me practical, specific strategies.”

“My child will eat [one or two safe foods] and nothing else. Every other food is refused, sometimes with gagging or real distress. We’re starting to worry about nutrition. Help me think through what to do: what questions to ask the pediatrician, what a feeding therapist does, and what I can try at home in the meantime.”

“My [age]-year-old will eat: [list safe foods]. They won’t eat: [list refused foods or food categories]. Give me 7 dinner ideas that work with their safe foods and might bridge toward something slightly new. I need ideas that are actually cookable on a weeknight, not recipes that require two hours and specialty ingredients.”

“Everyone tells me to hide vegetables in my child’s food. I’ve tried [list what you’ve tried]. Sometimes it works, sometimes they notice and then refuse that food forever. Help me think through whether this strategy is worth continuing and what the downsides might be. Is there a more transparent approach that could also work?”

“My picky eater needs to bring lunch to school. Their safe foods are: [list]. The food needs to be [cold / not require heating / nut-free]. Give me 10 lunch ideas they might actually eat — not aspirational healthy lunches, but things that have a realistic chance of coming home empty.”

“I’m so tired of the food battles. Every meal feels like a failure. I feel like I can’t take my kid anywhere, I stress about social eating situations, and I’m starting to feel like this is my fault. Help me process this without making it worse. What is and isn’t in my control here?”

“My [parent / in-law / caregiver] thinks I’m being too lenient about food and that my child just needs to eat what’s served. They push food on my child, comment on their eating at the table, or make the situation worse. Help me write a message or script for a conversation that explains our approach and asks them to respect it — without turning it into a conflict.”

“My child’s picky eating is starting to affect their social life — they can’t eat at friends’ houses, birthday parties are stressful, and they feel embarrassed about their food choices. Help me think through how to handle these situations in a way that protects their dignity and doesn’t make their eating anxiety worse.”