Mealtime Tips for Kids Who Are Picky Eaters!
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Guest Post: Jessica Marchi
A master class on negotiation should be taught by a picky eater. Do they easily give in to demands, pleas, or any other types of bargaining that requires them to alter their stance? The likely answer is no! Does this sound familiar? As a self-proclaimed, former “picky eater”, there was a slim chance my parents were going to talk their way into getting me to eat a food item I did not want to. Why is that? Well, forcing a child to eat new foods or previously refused foods can result in them doubling down on their resistance. So how do we make that change? We’ll talk about ways to help make meal time less of a battlefield and more of a happy and healthy experience.
Yes, kids have preferences and yes, their likes and dislikes should be acknowledged. There are ways to continue to introduce new foods that may have better results. Here are some quick tips and hints for feeding those picky kiddos.
Offer new foods as options at mealtime.
Instead of forcing them to eat a new or previously refused food, first offer them and let your kid approach them gradually on their own. They may just try them without being asked, or if it is a tough case, might have to have a few attempts before their even willing acknowledge the foods presence.
Provide foods with a variety of colors and textures.
Cultivate a positive environment for trying new foods. Describing their tastes, “is that apple crunchy or soft?” or “the sweet potato in creamy”. Compare the different textures. Generally keep a calm and positive dialogue around food.
Mirror you child by eating the same foods together.
It’s important for little ones, especially those have difficulty trying new foods, to see their role models and peers eating similar looking food together. Toddlers are exploring their worlds and are learning from you all the time.
Provide a mix of favorite foods and new foods.
Having a familiar option can reduce the anxiety around trying new foods. Keeps the environment low stakes. They could give something a taste and know that they have other options if it doesn’t work out this time.
Do not have a big reaction.
Keep calm! It’s certainly not a good idea to fight about food refusal. This causes an uncomfortable environment and fear of trying new foods. Same can be is said for an inflated positive reaction. When your kid does try something new, just go along with it and don’t bring an overly emotional response.
Finger Foods
Allow your kid to self-feed with their fingers or kid safe utensils. This independence will create more joy in eating and will be likely to try new foods on their own.
Stick to a schedule.
If your child is constantly nibbling, snacking or drinking beverages like milk and juice between meals, they are less likely to be interested in mealtime and trying new foods. Even Just a few sips of milk could ruin their appetite. Between scheduled meal and snack times, try limiting to just water.
What happens if…
Your kids only eats the same meals every day?
Continue to provide new options at meal times. This could be as little as a single bite, or a larger portion.
You have to bribe your child with dessert in order to get them to eat their meals?
Using sweets as rewards for finishing a meal or trying a new food, they are learning that some foods are better than others. Treat all foods equally and allow you child to know what when they have had enough to eat. If the family is getting dessert after dinner, dessert should be offered to them too.
Jessica Marchi is a Bay Area native that found her love for nutrition and promoting a healthy lifestyle for kids and families. She currently works at UCSF Benioff children’s hospital with 10+ years experience in pediatric nutrition as well as other community programs. Follow her on Instagram at @nutrish_delish_jess