Dealing with Picky Eaters - Best Strategies
Picky eating is more than an irritating habit. It can also cause your child to lack some beneficial nutrients due to a non-diverse diet.
Picky eating can be a phase in your child's growing-up process, but some kids grow up and hold to their eating habits from early childhood.
To help your child eat balanced nutrition and break picky eating habits, try the following strategies.
Take Baby Steps
Parents often struggle to determine what size of the portion is enough for their child. When you offer a too large portion, your child can refuse to try the food on the plate, intimidated by the amount.
Start with tiny portions of food your baby won't eat. You may offer a couple of peas or a tiny slice of cheese before you serve the meal your child actually wants. Gradually, increase the amount of the food for the next meal.
Also, a great trick is to serve your child's favorite food with a dash of some new food. For example, serve hummus as a dipping sauce for your child’s favorite finger food instead of ketchup.
Be Patient
On average, a kid needs to try new food at least six times in order to like it. Therefore, don't give up the first time your child refuses to try a new vegetable or meal. Wait a couple of days, and offer it one more time. Repeat the process several times until your child finally agrees to take the bite of the new food.
Do Not Fulfill Every Child's Wish
During family meals, serve the same food to the entire family. If your child refuses to eat his food, don't indulge him in his whims. Never agree to prepare a separate meal for the baby and make him sit on the table until every family member finishes.
If you agree to prepare separate meals, it can worsen picky eating habits.
Don't Be Too Pushy
When preparing new food, don't try to sell it to your child by describing the magnificent tastes and health benefits. Instead of praising the new meal for its flavors, explain what you used to make it, in a neutral tone.
It might wake up the curiosity of your child, which increases your chances that the kid will try the food and like it.
For example, if you serve black bean stew and exaggerate its health benefits, the kid may refuse it. Instead, only explain that you prepared in a slow cooker during the night and mention several ingredients.
Allow the Kid to Play with The Food
A study showed that the more interaction the kids have with the food, the higher the chances they eat it! So, you can stop trying to teach kids table manners and push them into trying new things. Instead, let them play with the food, take part in the meal preparation, or pick ingredients in the store. It will help them overcome fears of new food.
No Forcing or Bribing
When your child isn't hungry, don't force him into eating. Forcing can cause anxiety, which will later trigger negative feelings towards meals and specific ingredients.
Stay consistent and never bribe a child to finish his plate. Bribing and forcing the child to eat can mess up with the child's sense of fullness, which can cause eating disorders at a later age.
Instead of forcing a child to eat, let him ask for food when he is hungry. Use that moment to offer a new food. It is because the hungrier the kid is, the less picky he might be.
Keep the Eating Schedule
Because the hungry kid is easier to offer new food, try to anticipate when the kid will get hungry. You can do that by sticking to the meals routine.
Serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks at the same time every day. After a while, the kid will get into the rhythm and might follow the routine without refusing the food.
If your child refuses to eat the meal, offer nothing else. Use snack time as an ideal moment to introduce a new nutritive ingredient.
When it Is Time to React
If picky eating is compromising your child's development, you should talk with a pediatrician. Keep a food diary in which you'll write everything your child eats, and you can keep track of the calorie and nutrient intake.
Analyze the food diary with the pediatrician, and he will suggest if your child needs any supplements, or let you know what actions to take to help your child overcome picky eating and continue to develop normally.
Is your child a picky eater? If you try some of the abovementioned strategies, share your experience in the comment section below!
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Here’s a FREE Eat the Rainbow Checklist made by Peake Academy Preschool at Home. It's a color-coded daily planning chart to help you plan a healthy and colorful diet for the kids
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