Books

Nurture: How to Raise Kids Who Love Food, Their Bodies, and Themselves

Mom’s Choice Gold Award for Excellence in Family-Friendly Media

2024 Indie Reader Award: Second Place in Nonfiction

2024 Next Generation Indie Book Award: First Place in Parenting/Family

or please ask your local bookstore to pre-order it directly from my distributor, Ingram Spark!

There is so much confusing information about feeding families out there. Nurture: How to Raise Kids Who Love Food, Their Bodies, and Themselves is an expanded follow-up to Nourish, my first award-winning book. Nurture is a compassionate guide for parents and caregivers about feeding, eating, and discussing bodies with children and teens. I write from my nearly 30 years of experience treating clients with disordered eating, my own lived experience as a recovered person, and as a parent of two young adults. I weave stories from my clients' and families' experiences with sound advice based on current research. The book reads like a conversation with a kind fellow parent who has happened to do decades of fieldwork on the topic. It’s a sane and sound read that everyone who spends time with kids will benefit from reading. 

This book is a life-enhancing tool for: 

  • Parents and caregivers who have had their own food and body issues and don’t want to pass them on to the next generation 

  • Parents and caregivers with kids exhibiting body image concerns

  •  Parents and caregivers with kids exhibiting disordered eating who want direction 

  • Parents and caregivers with kids in larger bodies who feel unclear as to how to help them in the fat-phobic culture we live in 

  • Parents and caregivers with picky eaters who don’t want to create dynamics around food that might lead to eating and body issues later in life 

  • People who spend time with children and teens and want to create an inclusive health-and-well-being-enhancing culture around them

  • "Engaging and beautifully written, this book is a tremendous resource for anyone who wants to promote health and resilience in children. "

    Lisa Pearl, MS, RD, CEDS-S

    Founder of CNC360, Educator, and Clinical Consultant

  • "As a therapist and mom of two young boys, I am deeply moved. Heidi provides a relatable, non-judgmental narrative regarding introducing food choices and laying a healthy foundation for body acceptance."

    Sara Hart, MA, LMHC

    Psychotherapist and Eating Disorders Expert

  • "This is the book we have all been waiting to read. It’s filled with heartfelt commentary on how to maneuver hard situations with loved ones. It is truly a book for everyone."

    Beth Mayer, LICSW

    Former Executive Director of The Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association (MEDA)

  • "This book is a resource that has the potential to lay the groundwork for a generation of young people who trust their bodies and who are able to think critically and thoughtfully about incessant 'health and wellness' chatter. Although pointed at caretakers of young people, the relatable, scientifically-sound, and gentle messages offered are for you and your healing, with or without proximity to kids."

    Anna Sweeney, MS, RD, CEDS-S, LDN

    Nutrition Therapist, Dietitian and Eating Disorder ExpertQuote Source

  • Tiffany Adams, Amazon Reviewer

    The book reads like a comforting conversation with a trusted friend who understands the challenges of raising children in today's food and body-obsessed culture. Schauster shares stories from her clients and families, blending them seamlessly with evidence-based guidance to create a valuable resource for anyone involved in nurturing young minds.

    From addressing picky eaters to supporting children with body image concerns, "Nurture" provides valuable insights and strategies for fostering a healthy relationship with food and body positivity. It's a must-read for parents and caregivers seeking to create an inclusive and supportive environment that promotes well-being for the next generation.

    As someone who has grappled with food-related struggles, I found "Nurture" to be an incredibly empowering and informative read. Schauster's compassionate approach and practical advice make this book an invaluable tool for anyone invested in raising kids who love food, their bodies, and themselves.

  • "Wow, what an important book this is! ... I want to give my children a much healthier, more positive perspective on food and body image than I had. Even as an adult, I still carry many negative body thoughts and shame with me. It is so hard to shake when you grew up a certain way. But this book really explains the importance of giving our children a foundation to build the rest of their lives on. The explanations and tips for prevention are such valuable tips for all parents to have. I cannot recommend this book enough! Thank you for creating such a positive resource so we can help break the cycle."

    ~ Kristina B, Mother and Reviewer on Goodreads

  • Reviewed by Diana Lopez for Readers' Favorite

    “It is essential to instill healthy habits in children, especially about nutrition and self-care. However, this process can be complex without the proper foundation. Heidi Schauster has nearly three decades of experience treating people of all ages, with a special focus on eating disorders. She shares her knowledge and debunks misconceptions about diet and body care. She also highlights the importance of raising awareness about body diversity. She addresses crucial issues clearly and concisely, such as the impact of restrictive diets and the prevention of eating disorders. Not only is her advice applicable to children, but it also teaches adults to care for and accept their bodies as an example for future generations. Nurture: How to Raise Kids Who Love Food, Their Bodies, and Themselves is an accurate guide with essential information to take the first step toward a healthier life.

    I loved Heidi Schauster's narrative for its natural and fluid style. Her ideas are clear, and the explanations are easy to follow. She expresses herself as a friend who advises you through interesting examples and anecdotes. She also shares the experiences of her clients and her family. In addition, she advocates values such as honesty and highlights the importance of the support of family and loved ones to improve our lifestyle. I liked the cases where she mentions her interactions with her twin daughters because she emphasizes good habits and how to develop personal confidence. The topics she addresses are current and practical, with young people in mind, such as social media influences and finding private space. Nurture is an effective tool for parents to teach their children to appreciate their true nature and essence.”

  • Irene, Goodreads Review

    “… This book is NOT about being a perfect parent. It is not a strict list of rules to follow to guarantee your child loves their body every step of the way. Rather, it is a supportive, forgiving toolbox to child caregivers everywhere who are navigating the confusing "health and wellness" culture that we all, including our kids, are exposed to daily. I believe this book should be mandatory reading for all parents, grandparents, teachers, and absolutely anyone interacting with the precious, absorbent minds of our youth.”

  • Emilee Jackson, Bookstagrammer

    “… This book is not just for parents struggling with their own food and body issues or those whose children are exhibiting signs of disordered eating. It's a resource for anyone invested in the well-being of the next generation, providing clear, evidence-based guidance on fostering environments that celebrate diversity in body shapes and sizes and encourage a positive relationship with food….

    … I highly recommend "Nurture" to parents, educators, healthcare providers, and anyone who plays a role in a child's life. Heidi Schauster's book is not just a read; it's a movement towards cultivating a society where every child can grow up loving food, their bodies, and themselves.”

Read a FREE sample of my new book, Nurture: How to Raise Kids Who Love, Food, Their Bodies, and Themselves

Nourish: How to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Body, and Self

2018 Nautilus Book Award, Food/Health

2018 Book Life Prize Non-fiction Finalist, Self-Help/Relationships

2018 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Finalist, Non-fiction/Health

Eating is a life-giving pleasure, but confusing messages from the diet and nutrition industries may leave you wondering what to eat. Do you find yourself:

 Eating food that doesn’t nourish or energize you?

  • Munching mindlessly or emotionally?

  • Flipping between feeling "good" and "bad" about your eating?

  • Thinking about food and your body more than you’d like?

 Discover how to trust your body, and to eat with love and common sense:

  • Eat without deprivation or overeating

  • Accept your body and trust its wisdom

  • Deal with setbacks, destructive thoughts, and self-defeating attitudes

  • Create healthy habits to nurture yourself

  • Ditch dieting so you free yourself to live a life you love.

Nourish will guide you to transform your eating from self-control to self-love, using a 10-step healing process. In this book, Heidi Schauster, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S, founder of Nourishing Words Nutrition Therapy, shares 20 years of wisdom from her Boston-area practice.

Or ask your local bookstore to order it directly from my distributor, Ingram Spark!

Available in Spanish. Please email me directly at heidi@anourishingword.com to request a translation. Since there are very few books on this topic in Spanish, I’m offering this translation at little to no cost.

What Experts and Other Readers Say About Nourish

“In this brilliant and ground-breaking book, you’ll discover a powerful way to let go of ‘dieting’ and awaken an intimate, intuitive connection with your body, mind, and spirit.” 

Tara Brach, Author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge

“Nourish will change how you listen to your hunger, physically and emotionally. Nourish is like no other book I’ve read, and it is a gift to the health field and the world in general.”

Hannah Saxe, LICSW, Therapist and Eating Disorders Specialist

Please check out my newsletter, Nourishing Words — on Substack, an ad-free platform that features so much great writing.

I got together with my Gen Z Book Advisory Team this winter. They said teens and young adults want to understand how their bodies work and how food and movement affect them. They get so much confusing and contradicting information from social media
So many forces are pulling us away from honoring our true selves and asking us to focus on our outward appearance. Most of this is to sell a product, plan, or make people feel insecure to grow a following and influence. Know that you are enough a
See the link in my Bio above to get into my newsletter, Nourishing Words, on Substack. My posts are about nurturing ourselves and those we care about to value the whole self over the selfie. Or DM me your email, and I'll add you to my mailing list.
I had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Christine Castagnini on the Behind the Bite Podcast about raising kids without the stress or struggles over food. We spoke about my book Nurture: How to Raise Kids Who Love Food, Their Bodies, and Themselves,
I wrote this "hero post " (as it's called in Substack lingo) to explain why I write my newsletter, Nourishing Words--as well as my two books, Nourish and Nurture. Life is one big healing journey. I'm glad we're here together on it. Use
There is so much confusing information out there about how to feed ourselves and our families well. My book Nurture is a response to that confusion and a compassionate guide to raising kids who love food and appreciate their bodies and those of other