When my son was younger, I was convinced he was the pickiest eater on the face of the planet. Then my daughter was born! It hasn’t been easy, but a few small changes have helped us to expand our kids’ food choices and make mealtime more pleasant. If you’re discouraged by attempting to please a picky eater, try the following strategies and see what develops. You might be surprised!
1. Relax
The worst thing I did for my kids’ eating habits was make a big deal about mealtime. They caught on to my anxiety pretty quickly, and this only made the issue more challenging. If you’re concerned about your child’s weight or calorie intake, talk to your child’s pediatrician. Or check out one of our recommended resources, like The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child’s Nutrition. This resource outlines the calories your child needs at every stage of development and explains what child-sized serving portions are in layman’s terms. In most cases, picky eaters actually do get enough calories in their diet, and keeping the issue in perspective can short-circuit a brewing power struggle.
2. Differentiate between meals and snacks
One common concern for parents of picky eaters is the need to make multiple meals. If you’ve fallen into the trap of making separate entrees for each family member, you’re not alone. You can gradually change this habit by scheduling meals and snacks at specific times, and serving distinctly different options at each. If it’s helpful to you, try taking pictures of your child’s favorite snacks and posting them on the refrigerator. Then, when it’s time for a snack, you can say “Which one would you like?” and refer to the visual images. At mealtimes, when your child asks for those, you can simply explain, “No, those are for snacks. It’s time to eat dinner.” Especially when you’re first starting out, you’ll want to be sure that meals include something you know your child will eat. For example, if you know your child will eat carrots, serve them when you’re introducing a new chicken dish. And as always, being consistent will actually help your child adapt to your expectations more quickly.
3. Take into account what you already know about your child
When Brian was younger, he only wanted one thing on his plate at a time. This meant that, at mealtime, he’d end up eating only chicken nuggets or only a grilled cheese sandwich. I found that even though he tolerated a few fruits and vegetables, I had a hard time getting him to accept them on his plate. So I took this knowledge and applied a new strategy: I introduced pretzels! Yes, for a time, I served pretzels as the side dish on Brian’s plate, just to get him to accept side dishes. This grew into strawberries, applesauce, and orange slices. When you approach the situation with what you already know about your child, you’re empowered to find a solution that works for you!
4. Try and Try Again!
Experts tell us that it takes thirty days to develop a habit; similarly, it takes 30 tries to get your child to accept a new food. That fact alone might tempt you to give up on expanding your child’s diet! instead, pick a food the rest of the family likes, and make a large batch of it once a week. For example, you could incorporate broccoli into your meal-planning every Monday. Make some extra, and use the leftovers to continue reintroducing broccoli for several nights. Pay attention to the severity of your child’s objections as the new food becomes familiar. Do you notice a difference?
As parents, we bear a lot of responsibility on our shoulders, and our “fast food” society makes it easy to disregard the importance of teaching healthy eating habits. But I encourage you to keep at it, knowing that the positive patterns you create today will impact your child’s eating for a lifetime.
Recommended Titles:
The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Nutrition
Dr. Paula's Good Nutrition Guide for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
Save to Del.icio.us
