Picky Eating
at CST Academy

Brighter Mealtimes. Better Nutrition. Happier Families.

At CST Academy, our specialized feeding therapy services for picky eating are designed to help children develop healthier eating habits, expand their food choices, and reduce mealtime stress. Whether your child avoids entire food groups, gags at certain textures, or struggles with sitting through a meal, our experienced therapists create a fun, pressure-free environment that helps children feel safe exploring new foods—and enjoying them.

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What Is Feeding Therapy for Picky Eating?

Picky eating becomes a concern when it affects your child’s nutrition, growth, or ability to participate in daily life. At CST Academy, our therapists go beyond typical food preferences to identify the root causes—whether sensory sensitivities, oral motor challenges, or anxiety—and create a personalized plan to support more positive mealtime experiences.

We use evidence-based strategies, playful engagement, and gentle exposure to help children build comfort and confidence with a variety of foods, textures, and routines.

Why Choose CST Academy for Picky Eating Support?

Our picky eating services are part of CST Academy’s integrated Feeding Therapy program, where our therapists collaborate with occupational therapists, behavior analysts, and speech-language pathologists to address every aspect of a child’s feeding journey.

We also work closely with families, providing take-home tools and coaching so that what works in therapy works at your table, too.

The CST Academy Difference

Choosing the right feeding therapy provider for picky eating means finding a team that understands the challenges mealtimes can bring—and knows how to turn them into opportunities for growth. At CST Academy, we create a pressure-free, playful environment where children feel safe trying new foods and developing healthy habits. With expert therapists, personalized strategies, and a focus on family collaboration, we help children expand their diets, build confidence, and make mealtimes enjoyable again.

Licensed Pediatric Feeding Therapists

Our team has deep expertise in feeding therapy, sensory integration, oral motor function, and childhood nutrition challenges.

Individualized, Family-Centered Approach

We meet your child where they are and tailor strategies that make sense for your home, your family routines, and your child’s needs.

Sensory-Friendly, Play-Based Sessions

By removing pressure and focusing on playful exploration, we make food fun again—helping children build trust, curiosity, and flexibility.

Collaborative Therapy Model

Feeding therapy at CST Academy doesn’t exist in a silo. Our interdisciplinary team ensures that progress with feeding is supported by other therapies when needed, including OT, speech, and ABA.

Helping Your Child Overcome Picky Eating

Feeding therapy for picky eating at CST Academy is about more than expanding your child’s menu—it’s about helping them build a lasting, positive relationship with food. Our therapists work on a range of skills that address both the emotional and physical challenges children may experience at mealtimes.

Tolerating and Exploring New Foods

We help children gradually become more comfortable being around new foods—starting with having them on the plate, touching them, and eventually smelling or interacting with them in fun, pressure-free ways. This gentle exposure builds familiarity and reduces fear, laying the groundwork for more adventurous eating.

Trying New Textures and Tastes

Many picky eaters are hypersensitive to certain food textures. Our therapists guide children in trying small bites of foods with varying textures and flavors, helping them build tolerance and confidence in their ability to manage new sensations.

Improving Oral Motor Skills

Some children avoid foods not because they dislike them, but because chewing or swallowing is physically difficult. We work on strengthening oral motor coordination to support safe, effective eating, making it easier for children to handle a wider variety of foods.

Reducing Anxiety Around Mealtimes

When food becomes a source of stress, children may resist mealtimes altogether. We use play-based strategies to create calm, enjoyable experiences around food and help reframe mealtimes as positive, low-pressure opportunities to connect and grow.

Expanding Food Variety and Nutritional Intake

Over time, we support children in increasing the number and types of foods they accept—introducing different proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, and textures to help meet their nutritional needs. Every success, no matter how small, is celebrated to build momentum and pride.

Establishing Mealtime Routines and Behaviors

Consistency helps picky eaters thrive. We teach children how to sit at the table, follow simple routines, and engage in appropriate mealtime behaviors—fostering structure and reducing power struggles that often surround eating.

Start Your Journey with CST Academy Today

Getting started is easy. Our team is here to listen, guide, and create a care plan tailored to your child and your family.

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When to Seek Picky Eating Support

While it’s normal for young children to have food preferences, persistent picky eating can begin to affect growth, nutrition, and family routines. If any of the following sound familiar, it may be time to consider feeding therapy to support your child’s eating habits.

Limited Food Variety

If your child consistently eats fewer than 15–20 foods and refuses to try new ones, especially across multiple food groups, they may benefit from professional support to safely expand their diet.

Extreme Reactions to Food Textures

Children who gag, spit out, or become visibly upset by certain textures—such as mushy, crunchy, or mixed foods—may be showing signs of oral sensory sensitivity or aversion.

Avoidance of Entire Food Groups

Some children completely avoid fruits, vegetables, proteins, or other key food groups. Over time, this can lead to nutritional deficiencies that impact energy, mood, and development.

Long or Stressful Mealtimes

If meals regularly take more than 30–45 minutes or become battles filled with negotiation, crying, or refusal, your child may be struggling with deeper mealtime challenges.

Difficulty Sitting at the Table

Children who can’t stay seated, constantly leave the table, or seem disinterested in food altogether may have underlying regulation or attention needs affecting mealtime participation.

Concerns About Growth or Weight Gain

If your child is not gaining weight appropriately, has dropped percentiles on growth charts, or appears fatigued or undernourished, feeding therapy can help address underlying eating difficulties.

A Place Where Mealtimes Can Be Joyful

Choosing CST Academy means choosing a place where your child’s relationship with food is approached with patience, encouragement, and care. We understand that picky eating isn’t just about preferences—it’s often about comfort, control, and sensory experience. Our team meets every child with compassion, recognizing their unique needs and helping them build trust in themselves and the foods in front of them.

We believe that mealtimes should be moments of connection, not conflict. That’s why we create a pressure-free environment where progress happens through curiosity, play, and celebration. Whether it’s touching a new food for the first time or taking a brave bite, every success matters—and we’re here to cheer your child on every step of the way. Therapy at CST Academy is about so much more than food—it’s about confidence, family connection, and finding joy at the table.

Real Families. Real Progress. Real Mealtime Wins.

We were at our wits’ end trying to get our daughter to eat anything besides crackers and yogurt. CST Academy gave us real tools, not just advice, and the change has been amazing. She’s now eating meals with us and even trying new foods without a meltdown.

– Emily T.

Our son was extremely sensitive to textures and refused almost every vegetable. Within just a few weeks at CST Academy, we saw a shift—not just in what he ate, but in how he approached mealtime. The therapists made it fun, stress-free, and totally personalized.

– Daniel M.

CST Academy completely changed our family’s relationship with food. Meals used to be a battle, and now they’re a time we look forward to. The team took the time to understand our child, work at his pace, and involve us in every step of the process.

– Laura B.

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5-Star Google Reviews

Feeding Therapy for Picky Eating at CST Academy

Supportive Solutions for a Healthier Relationship with Food

At CST Academy, our Feeding Therapy program is specially designed to help children overcome picky eating through compassionate, individualized support. Whether your child struggles with food variety, texture sensitivity, or mealtime anxiety, our expert therapists use evidence-based strategies to build confidence and comfort around food. With a collaborative, family-centered approach, CST Academy helps make mealtimes more enjoyable—and progress more achievable—for children and parents alike.

Feeding Therapy