Do you have a picky eater? Well, you’re not alone. Lots of little kids are picky eaters, but most of them do eventually outgrow it. In the meantime, here are some tips to get them to eat:
1. Let your picky eater help you plan out meals and go grocery shopping with you. If they get to pick out what’s for dinner, they’re more likely to eat it.
2. Watch the snacks right before the scheduled meal. Snacking too close to the meal is a big reason why kids won’t eat their meal. Think about what they’re drinking before mealtime as well. Juice and milk can really fill up small stomachs.
3. Speaking of small stomachs, keep in mind that kids can’t eat as much as we can. Give smaller portions and let them ask for seconds. A heaped up plate can be intimidating for a child.
4. Put your child to work helping prepare the meal. They’re proud to eat what they’ve helped make!
5. Picky eaters need choices when it comes to their food; they need to have some control over what they eat. Start asking them if they want the green beans or the corn, and toast or pancakes, etc.
6. When you offer snacks, make sure the snacks have some nutritional value. Try cut up fruits and vegetables. Make them finger foods and your children are more likely to eat them.
7. You picky eater watches what their friends eat. If a friend eats something “strange”, it becomes interesting and perhaps acceptable to your child. They’re more likely to try something new when one of their buddies is eating it so invite these kids over to eat with your child.
8. Sometimes kids like a taste, but are turned off by the texture. If this is the case, try the food in a different way; like turning blackberries into a smoothie, or yogurt cooked in some muffins.
9. Eat at restaurants that offer a variety of food that your child might be interested in. If she likes rice, maybe she would like fried rice at a Chinese restaurant. If he loves your cheese quesadillas, perhaps he would be willing to try chicken and cheese quesadillas at a Mexican restaurant. They can sample what’s on your plate too, without having to commit to it.
10. It’s tempting to be a short order cook, but don’t do it. Offering your child choices is one thing, but going out of your way to prepare them a separate special meal defeats the purpose of trying to expand the list of foods on their “like” list.
What’s important is that you keep your attitude positive and don’t let mealtime become a big power struggle. Be consistent with any rules you set such as having to try one bite, no snacks right after dinner, etc. Stick with it and eventually the picky eater phase should pass.
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