Picky Eaters

There are all types of picky eaters, kids who don't like their food to touch, children who are grossed out by the look of meat or the ones who hate their veggies. As a parent how are we suppose to give them a well balanced meal if they won't cooperate? Remember the old fashion method every parent used . . . "you can't leave the table till your plate is clean", well research actually suggests that demanding your child to eat all or certain foods can attach negative connotations to it, making the struggle even worse. So what are we to do?

First of all breath, there is no need to stress over it. I have learned with my two children that it's all about the baby steps when it comes to food. I have two very different types of picky eaters on my hands. My 5 year old son is a huge fan of red meat but absolutely hates the thought of veggies, on the other hand my 4 year old daughter is grossed out by seafood & tomatoes but loves salads. They couldn't be more opposites if they tried. But they have come a long way & we don't struggle to get them to eat certain things anymore, I'll share with you the little things that helped us out.  

The most affective way to get your child eating "different" foods is to lead by example. Meaning they have to see you eating it first, how do you expect them to eat it if you won't. This was an issue with my son because he noticed early on that my husband didn't eat all his veggies, so he stopped eating them too. Once my husband started eating them so did my son, problem solved. I am allergic to shell fish so I don't eat any shrimp, lobster, or crawfish; my daughter has picked up on this & I believe that is why she refuses to eat it as well (even though she is NOT allergic).

Next is offer it but don't push it. Always serve a small portion of everything you make for dinner on your child's plate, if it doesn't get eaten . . . oh well, but eventually they just might try it because it's there.

Praise small victories. It sounds simple, but it can really make a big difference. If they try something new or something they don't like tell them what a great job they did. It's ok to feel like your exaggerating about the situation to them, it will build their confidence.

Let them help in the preparation. Sometimes if they feel involved in making the food (or growing the veggies) they are more excepting & excited about eating it. Start of simple by giving them little jobs in the kitchen like mixing or getting stuff out of the pantry & fridge.

My favorite . . . secretly mix things in. When my son wasn't eating all his vegetables, I would secretly add them into things he did like to eat. He couldn't taste the difference & he was getting all the nutrition.

Offer options. Giving your child limited options makes them feel more in control, even though they aren't running the show. Sometimes when making dinner I will ask them to help me make decisions like "what should we eat tonight . . . chicken or fish?" or "what should we have for sides . . .mac n' cheese with green beans or mixed veggies with rice?". I'm only giving them two options to choose from so it's not like they get to choose what we are eating for dinner but to them it will feel like they are.

Lastly, encourage your little one to try new things. It gets easier as they get older & it's never to late to start.

I hope this helps you on your struggle to get your children to eating more of a variety. Leave a comment below to let me know about your picky eater.