🍱 Order Up! A Conversation with Jane Nicholson, Cookbook Author, Mom of 2, and Creator of Food Kids Love
Jane Nicholson shares practical lunchbox wisdom for busy parents who are doing their best.
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“I thought I would cook the food and she would eat it.” - Jane Nicholson
Jane Kim Nicholson didn’t set out to become a voice in the parenting food space. She was simply a new mom standing in her kitchen, surprised by how hard it was to feed her toddler.
“Honestly, I thought I would cook the food and she would eat it.” When that didn’t happen, Jane had to figure out how and what her daughter, a picky toddler, would eat.
More than a decade later, that early confusion has evolved into Food Kids Love, her widely loved platform (and now a cookbook!) where she shares practical, low-pressure ideas for lunchboxes, snacks, and family meals. Based in Los Angeles and rooted in her Korean-Canadian upbringing, Jane’s cooking reflects the way culture quietly shapes everyday life: rice bowls alongside yogurt jars, Korean flavors tucked into familiar formats, comfort food without apology.
As a mom of two, she speaks with the steadiness that only comes from having lived through the picky phases, the food noise, the extracurricular chaos. Her cookbook carries that same tone: approachable recipes, gentle confidence, and the reminder that what children remember most isn’t the menu; it’s how they felt around the table.
In this One Potato conversation, Jane reflects on letting go of food perfection, raising kids who feel proud of their cultural identity, and why sometimes changing the shape of a cucumber is enough to shift the mood of a meal.
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A Conversation with Jane Nicholson, Food Kids Love
Introduce Yourself: I’m Jane Nicholson, the cookbook author and creator of Food Kids Love. I live in L.A. with my husband, two kids, and our rescue dog, Bear.
I created Food Kids Love because I struggled to feed my daughter when she was a toddler. I think, like a lot of parents, I assumed I would just cook food and she would eat it. And that was… not the case.
I started figuring out small ways to make food feel less overwhelming for me and less stressful for her. Over time, sharing those easier snack ideas, simple lunches, and meals that didn’t require perfection turned into a space on social media where I share non-judgmental, approachable ideas for feeding your family without the pressure.
What did food look like growing up, and how does that shape how you cook now?
I cook with a strong sense of nostalgia. My parents are Korean, and growing up there was always something wafting from the kitchen. What I remember most isn’t even specific recipes. It’s the scent, and the feeling of warmth and familiarity. Just being nearby while my parents cooked.
Our meals were traditional and filling. They were comforting. And even though I didn’t always help, being in that space shaped me.
Now, as a parent, I try to recreate that feeling in our home. I still lean toward simple, comforting foods, but I think more intentionally about balance and nutrition. I want my kids to feel that same sense of warmth but also to have meals that support their busy lives.
How do you think about sharing culture through everyday meals and school lunches?
School lunches can feel loaded, right? When I was growing up, bringing Korean food to school felt a little different. It wasn’t as common or widely embraced. I was lucky that I had friends who accepted it, but there were moments when I wished my lunch looked more like everyone else’s.
Now, I feel like times have changed. Korean food — and so many other cultural foods — are celebrated. That makes me so happy. I love packing rice balls, egg roll-ups, Korean-inspired snacks. I want my kids to feel proud of their food. And I also love that their classmates get exposure to something different and see it as normal.
What does feeding your kids actually look like on a normal weeknight?
It’s not perfect. It can be loud and chaotic. There are extracurriculars. There’s hockey. There are rushed mornings. I’ve really learned that food doesn’t have to look perfect on the table. It doesn’t have to be perfectly balanced every single time. What matters more to me is consistency over perfection, and striving for those moments of connection.
We try to have family dinners on weekends. During the week, we’ll eat earlier if someone has somewhere to be. I rotate familiar meals and keep staples on hand, and I meal prep just enough to make things smoother.
Is there a belief about food or parenting that you’ve let go of?
Perfection. As a first-time parent, there was so much food noise. What’s healthy? What’s not? Are you doing it the right way? The wrong way?
I felt like there was a very specific way you were supposed to feed your child. With time, and especially with my second child, I realized how overwhelming that mindset was. I’ve really let go of needing meals to look a certain way. Food doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s the small, consistent efforts that add up.
Did your kids go through picky eating phases? How did you navigate that?
Yes, for sure. My daughter was very picky, especially around texture issues, and she had strong preferences. That’s really what started this whole journey for me. My son (now seven) has been less picky, but I think part of that is what I learned the first time around.
My biggest philosophy is exposure over pressure. Constant exposure works better than forcing. I’ll put two small pieces of broccoli on the plate with no pressure to eat it. I’ll leave a plate of fruit and veggies on the counter after school and just let it be there. If they touch it, smell it, nibble it then that’s a win.
It can take ten tries or more. But removing the pressure changes everything. Long-term, it builds comfort instead of resistance.
Did you feel a lack of support when you first became a parent?
I started Food Kids Love a long time ago — my daughter is 14 now — and back then, I didn’t feel very prepared. There were a few blogs, but I didn’t see much that felt relatable or realistic for advising me on the challenges I faced with her. So I started experimenting with food. Cutting vegetables differently. Playing with presentation. Creating fun but simple recipes.
I decided to share what I was learning with other parents who were probably feeling just as confused as I was.
How has your approach evolved as your kids have grown?
My kids have a big age gap, so I’m kind of living in two stages at once.
We all mostly eat the same meals. I might adjust spice levels, or I might present something a little differently for my son. But overall, we’re not cooking separate dinners. As they grow, the food evolves with them. It’s less about reinventing everything and more about small tweaks.
What was it like turning your content into a cookbook?
It was always a dream of mine to write a cookbook. A publisher, Plumleaf Press, reached out and asked if I’d be interested in creating a cookbook that blended my Asian influence with approachable, beautiful, doable meals; it felt aligned right away.
I took the look and feel of my brand and translated it into recipes that are simple and realistic. Nothing overly complicated. Just meals that help parents feel like, “Okay. I can do this.”
What do you want parents to feel when they open your book?
Relief.
Feeding kids comes with so much pressure. I want parents to open the book and realize it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Small efforts count.
Because at the end of the day, your kids aren’t going to remember exactly what you made; they are going to remember how they felt around food. Did they feel safe? Connected? Cared for? That’s what matters.
Do your kids cook with you?
They do. My daughter grew up cooking and baking with me, and now she does it independently. My son is just starting to really enjoy helping: chopping with kids’ knives, baking, being part of the process.
What’s one recipe you always recommend from your book?
People are always curious about the Korean recipes because they assume they’re complicated. I love pointing them toward my breakfast rice egg bowl because it’s incredibly simple, balanced, and nourishing. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can play around with it and add different veggies; mix it up.
What would you say to an overwhelmed parent who feels like they’re failing at feeding their kids?
Keep it simple! Healthy food doesn’t have to be complicated. Small efforts count.
If you can manage simple meal prep, it helps, but even that doesn’t need to be elaborate. And remember: your kids won’t remember every meal. They’ll remember how they felt. Maybe I sound like a broken record, but, if they felt cared for and connected, you did your job.
What does simple meal prep look like in your house?
Snack prep, mostly. On Sundays, I’ll cut up fruit and store it in jars. I’ll layer yogurt and fruit so it’s ready to grab. I might prep a sheet pan dinner that we can reheat during a busy week.
I also love making snack dipper containers, something they can grab and go between activities. It’s small, manageable prep. Nothing overwhelming.
What are you most excited about next?
Evolving! As my kids grow, our food journey grows too. I want to keep infusing more of my Korean heritage into our meals. My son is still little so I still have many years of lunch packing ahead of me. There’s room to grow, and I’m excited for that.
Is there one cooking trick you swear by?
I have a crinkle cutter, and it’s surprisingly powerful. I use it on cucumbers, carrots, apples, even avocado. That one little detail makes food feel more exciting to kids.
Sometimes it’s not about reinventing lunch, it’s just about changing the shape.