Breaking the Cycle - How to Talk to Children About Food with Dr. Anna Colton

This week, we're joined by Dr. Anna Colton, a clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist passionate about helping families to prevent passing on food and body image struggles to the next generation. She's the author of How to Talk to Children About Food, recently featured in The Times and ITV’s This Morning.This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating parenting, recovery, or both to learn how we can break the cycle of disordered eating by fostering healthier food narratives for the next generation.Whether you're in recovery or supporting someone who is, this conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is possible and essential when raising children.Key Takeaways:How childhood messaging about food and body image influences long-term beliefsSupporting recovery as a parent while protecting your children from harmful narrativesWhy the “good vs. bad food” binary causes harm, especially in schoolsHow to navigate food talk with children if you're struggling yourselfHow to create age-appropriate, inclusive, and curious conversations about nutritionThe reality of recovery: why motivation doesn’t always start with selfThe cultural pressure of “clean eating,” GLP-1 medications, and the impact on childrenTimestamps:02:00 – The story behind Anna's book05:30 – Where food beliefs begin in childhood11:10 – The harms of diet culture in schools17:20 – Healing when you’re still struggling yourself23:00 – Recovery as a form of parenting30:00 – Why disordered eating is often overlooked33:40 – The danger of unregulated weight loss medsTrigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of eating disorders, disordered eating, and weight loss medication, which may be triggering for some listeners.Resources & Links:Book: How to Talk to Children About Food BookConnect with Anna via: Website | InstagramConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereRead our latest blog hereThank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might benefit!Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛