Issue 21 | Gut Feelings: The Hidden Reason Picky Eating Gets Worse in September

Hi Friends,

Back-to-school season is here already! And with it comes packed lunches, hurried mornings, and sometimes, added stress at the dinner table. If you’ve got a picky eater at home, you’re not alone. Many families tell me that this time of year makes food challenges even more stressful.

But here’s the good news: small shifts in your child’s diet can have a big impact on focus, mood, and energy levels. And one of the most overlooked areas? Healthy fats.

Why Healthy Fats Matter for Kids

Children’s brains are growing at lightning speed, and fats are the raw material those brains need. Cholesterol and saturated fats top the list of the fats your child's brain is craving for. Children with ASD often struggle to produce enough cholesterol to support healthy brain/body functioning, so ensuring their diet has these necessary nutrients is a no-brainer (pun intended). Healthy fats play a critical role in:

• Supporting focus and attention in the classroom

• Regulating mood and behavior

• Building resilience against stress and anxiety

Unfortunately, many school lunch menus are heavy on quick carbs and intentionally low on quality fats. That imbalance often shows up as poor focus, behavioral issues, and emotional ups and downs because of the blood sugar swings. All this can mean even more picky eating.

The Hidden Link

When kids don’t get enough nourishing fats, their taste buds often “default” to craving sugar and processed foods for quick energy. That cycle can make picky eating worse. Ancestral foods, which are rich in the fats our bodies recognize and thrive on, help reset taste buds and stabilize moods.

Try these simple swaps:

• 🍗 Replace chicken nuggets with drumsticks or wings baked with the skin on (easy, crispy, finger-friendly, and full of fat-soluble nutrients).

• 🧀 Instead of processed cheese slices, serve real cheese with a pat of butter on top—a simple, satisfying fat boost. 

• 🥦 Swap raw carrots + ranch dip for buttered broccoli florets or roasted veggies with ghee.

• 🍳 Trade cold cereal for scrambled eggs cooked in butter or ghee, always with the yolks, nature’s true multivitamin.

• 🍞 Instead of regular toast, serve true sourdough bread spread generously with butter or real, full-fat cream cheese. Thick enough for teeth marks to show!

Why Picky Eating Often Flares Up at this Time of Year

Back-to-school brings big changes: new routines, social pressures, and even fatigue. Stress will make kids retreat to “safe” foods, while rushed schedules often mean less time for balanced meals. Add in the lack of healthy fats, and the cravings for quick carbs can spiral.

Back to school tip: Keep it simple. Choose one fat-rich food your child already likes (like cheese, eggs, butter, avocado) and make it a reliable part of their school-day routine. The goal is consistency, not perfection. 

Does Your Reality Need More Help Than This? 

If you’re struggling with extreme food aversion or unsure how to get the right balance of nutrients into your child’s day, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

👉 Schedule a free consult with me to get practical strategies tailored to your child. Even if you don't sign up to work with me, you'll still walk away with ideas and strategies.
OR
👉 Download my free guide: 5 Things Every Parent Should Know

Let’s make this school year a little smoother—for both you and your kids.

With warmth,
Lubna Nazarani, CNS, CGP
Certified Nutrition Specialist & Gut Health Practitioner