Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN
Pediatric Dietitian & Nutrition Educator
I’m Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and pediatric dietitian specializing in pediatric nutrition, infant and child feeding, and nutrition for kids.
I help parents navigate the often overwhelming world of child food and feeding, especially when picky eating, fear of food, or conflicting nutrition advice makes things feel harder than they need to be. My work blends clinical nutrition, real-life parenting experience, and the science of nutrition to support children’s physical health, emotional health, and long-term relationship with food.
I believe nutrition should feel empowering (not restrictive), and that families deserve guidance that is evidence-based, compassionate, and practical in everyday life.
My Clinical Training & Nutrition Science Background
My foundation in nutrition is rooted in clinical nutrition and formal training in the science of nutrition.
I earned my graduate degree in clinical nutrition at New York University and completed a registered dietitian clinical internship, gaining hands-on experience in diverse medical settings at the Bronx VA Medical Center, where I worked alongside interdisciplinary healthcare teams and learned how deeply nutrition impacts strength, healing, and overall health.
This background continues to shape my work today, grounding my approach in evidence, physiology, and critical thinking, while translating complex nutrition science into guidance families can actually use.
Why Pediatric Nutrition Became My Focus
While my formal training began in adult and clinical nutrition, pediatric nutrition became my calling through a much longer, more personal path.
Nutrition is actually my second career. For the first ten years after graduating from Northwestern University, I worked in the performing arts as a singer, actor, dancer, and model, based in New York City. I was a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA, traveled the country on national tours, and performed in regional theater, Off-Broadway productions, independent films, and commercials. Like many people in performance-driven industries, I felt constant pressure to be slender, and I learned the hard way that fad diets and food restriction were not the answer — for health, performance, or well-being.
Eventually, that lived experience led me back to school and into the field of nutrition, where I developed a deep respect for the science of how food fuels strength, stamina, healing, and the ability to show up (physically AND mentally) when it matters most.
I now live in Westchester, New York, just outside of NYC, and it was during the early years of motherhood that pediatric nutrition truly took hold in my life. My three daughters were all born within about three and a half years of each other, and their infancies were an intense, formative chapter. I was learning how to care for and feed tiny, growing bodies with healthy whole foods they would actually eat (not easy), while also trying to carve out space for my own nutrition and self-care so I could be the mother they needed me to be.
During that time, we experienced the full spectrum of feeding challenges: difficulties breastfeeding, fears around diminishing milk supply, a premature baby who wasn’t gaining weight, infant reflux, gagging and vomiting, childhood food allergies that were difficult to diagnose, picky eating, food battles at the table, three C-sections in quick succession — and the deep, global fatigue of early motherhood. Looking back, it was exhausting.
As my daughters grew out of babyhood and became robust toddlers and little kids, I realized how fortunate I was to have the nutrition education and clinical background to help me navigate those challenges. That realization made the next chapter of my life very clear.
The mission behind all of my work, in all of its forms (books, courses, private practice, speaking engagements, partnerships, and more) is to take everything I have learned — through performance, research, clinical training and experience, and motherhood — and use it to help reduce your stress around food and feeding. Today, my work centers on helping families move away from fear-based feeding and toward confidence, nourishment, and connection, by providing real-life tools, recipes, resources, coaching, and guidance that make feeding yourself and your family feel simpler, more supportive, and far less dramatic.
My Nutrition Approach
My approach to starting solids, picky eating, child food and feeding, food allergy, and child nutrition is grounded in both science and compassion.
I focus on:
Reducing unnecessary food restriction
Supporting responsive, developmentally appropriate feeding
Providing clear, evidence-based nutrition education for families
Helping parents understand what’s common — and what’s not
Building healthy habits without pressure, shame, or diet culture influence
Nutrition isn’t just about what children eat. It’s also about how they feel at the table, how safe food feels, and how supported families feel in the process.
Are My Nutrition Services Right For You?
I work with:
Parents of little kids navigating starting solids, baby-led weaning, food allergies, picky eating, feeding challenges, and complex medical conditions like Hereditary Fructose Intolerance (HFI), Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), and Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
Families seeking trusted, evidence-based nutrition for kids and babies
Caregivers looking for practical, non-restrictive guidance around food and nutrition for themselves
Professionals and organizations seeking clear, credible pediatric nutrition education
Whether through one-on-one support, writing, speaking, or media work, my goal is always the same: to make nutrition feel more accessible, less overwhelming, and more human.
Credentials & Professional Background
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
Licensed Pediatric Dietitian specializing in infant and child nutrition (CDN)
Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition (MS)
Completed Accredited Registered Dietitian Clinical Internship, Training, and Work Experience at the Bronx VA Medical Center
Graduate of the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) Pediatric Food Allergy Management 9-Month Course
Bronx VA Medical Center Preceptor, teaching 7 dietetic interns per year in 2-week pediatric nutrition rotations
Best-selling author, internationally recognized speaker and nutrition educator
FAQ
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A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) is a credentialed healthcare professional with formal education, supervised clinical training, and national board certification in nutrition science and clinical nutrition.
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A pediatric dietitian specializes in pediatric nutrition and child nutrition, supporting healthy growth, feeding development, picky eating, and nutrition for kids across all ages and stages.
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Yes. Picky eating and feeding challenges are a major focus of my work, especially for little kids and families experiencing stress around food.
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No. My work emphasizes nourishment, education, and balance — not food restriction or rigid rules.
