When kids feed themselves, get repeated exposures to new foods, and explore food with all of their senses, they learn to trust their own hunger signals and develop a positive, long-lasting relationship with food. My company designs products to do just this.

Why It Matters

Every meal is an opportunity. We’re all guilty of stepping in with our own ideas of “what’s best” when it comes to our kids’ plates. But here’s the gritty truth: when we control every bite, we rob our kids of their natural ability to gauge fullness. Studies show that kids who feed themselves are less likely to overeat and become picky eaters. Think about it—if we let them do a bit of the heavy lifting (or spoon lifting, in this case), they learn to trust their own signals. In our hectic lives, every small win matters.

In the Beginning

Last week I had the privilege of chatting on WDBJ7 with Kimberly McBroom about something that’s near and dear to my heart: helping our kids become healthy, confident, and downright adventurous eaters. At Kizingo, we built our company on a simple idea— create mealtime products that actually encourage the kinds of behaviors nutrition science suggests are associated with life-long healthy eating habits.

Parenting is hard. Mealtime shouldn't be.

{PS - if you do try one of our products, enter DESIGN15 at checkout for 15% off your first order}

Letting Kids Feed Themselves

There’s plenty of evidence that when kids take control of feeding themselves—when they are transitioning out of breast and bottle feeding into their first solid foods—they develop better eating habits.

Kids who can successfully self-feed are less likely to overeat and less likely to become picky eaters. Why? Two reasons:

1. Try as we might, we are terrible at reading our kids signals of fullness. So when we feed them directly, we can end up over feeding. Over time, this means they start listening to us rather than their innate, internal signals of hunger and fullness.
2. Kids - especially toddlers - want to do things themselves! They want to tie their shoes and pour their milk and zip their coat. Even if it takes hours to accomplish. When we make all the mealtime decisions for them, they start to exert their independence in the only way they can: by letting you know what they will and will not eat. Hello picky eating.

So what's the solution? At Kizingo, we designed ergonomic spoons specifically for the way kids hold and use utensil so they can be more successful self-feeding. Do you need our spoons? Of course not. But using them can help your little one master the art of self-feeding a little more quickly.

Our ergonomic spoons are specifically designed to face a child, so that self-feeding is easier and more successful.

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The 15-Time Rule: Persistence Pays Off

Ever tried to get your kid to eat broccoli and thought, “That was a total flop”?

Research tells us it can take about 15 exposures before a new food wins their heart—or even their taste buds. And let’s be honest, keeping track of that is no picnic. That’s why we built our plates and bowls with a little “nudge” space. It’s a visual reminder for you to offer that small taste of something new. It’s not about forcing them or serving them a mountain of broccoli all at once; it’s about persistence and building familiarity over time.

The Nudge plates and bowls encourage parents and kids to regularly try small bits of something new.

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Embrace the Mess: Exploring Food With All 5 Senses

Let’s get real—mealtime with kids is messy. But that mess is where the magic happens. When kids get their hands on food, they’re not just eating; they’re learning. They’re discovering textures, sounds, and even smells and, importantly, integrating that information and making new neural paths.

Sometimes you might end up with more food on the floor than on their plates, but that’s a small price to pay for sensory exploration and deep learning. But don't feel like you have to do this every meal. Choose a meal or snack when you have the time and energy to let it be a little longer and a little messier.

How can you help this exploration? Ask them what a crunchy carrot sounds like or how an avocado slice feels. If your kids are not yet talking, narrate this experience for them (rather than expecting them to give you words for their experience). Not sure where to begin? This list of descriptive terms for mealtime can help.

Our long sleeve bibs aren’t just about keeping clothes clean; they’re a nod to the power of letting kids explore food with all their senses.

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The Big Picture: Every Meal Counts

Imagine this: if you fed your kid three meals a day from the moment they turned six months old until they hit 18, you’d be cooking up 18,690 meals. That’s a lot of chances to shape their relationship with food.

It’s not about making the perfect dinner every single night—it’s about the cumulative impact of those small, everyday interactions. Each meal is a chance to build trust, celebrate the little victories (like using a fork the right way or sitting down a minute longer), and create a lasting, positive connection with food.

Remember - enter DESIGN15 at checkout for 15% off your first order