Tips for Parents of Picky Eaters
Once little ones graduate from nursing or bottles, the challenge to tempt their palate begins.
Bottles and nursing seem difficult in the beginning, but as parents begin to introduce solid foods, they often recall that time as being so much more relaxing—and simple! A good way to help tots avoid becoming picky eaters is to begin introducing a variety of foods early. When they get used to new flavors, they will crave different offerings than those chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. There certainly is nothing wrong with those standbys, but variety is the spice of life, right?
Understanding your child’s temperament is a first step. Does he readily accept a new toy, or does he hang back a bit before jumping in? Does she run up to meet new friends or act shy at first? Knowing how your little one accepts new situations translates into how he or she accepts new foods.
As with all stages of a baby’s life, this is a transition, so don’t fret. Try to make healthy food choices available and understand that your child’s appetite and eating behaviors will level out eventually.
A good way to ensure children eat different things is to share meals together as a family as often as you can. Turn off the TV and put away the phone so you can use this time to model healthy eating. Serve one meal for the entire family and resist the urge to make another meal for your child who refuses to eat what’s on his plate, a practice that encourages picky eating. Try to include at least one food your child likes with each meal and continue to provide a balanced meal, whether it gets eaten or not.
If that darling child absolutely refuses a meal, don’t fuss. It’s good for children to learn to listen to their bodies and use hunger as a guide. For example, they may have eaten a big breakfast or lunch and truly not be hungry. Don’t force another meal on them the rest of the day just because it’s “time to eat.” The parent's responsibility to provide food, and the child make the decision whether to eat it. Pressuring kids to eat, or punishing them if they don't, can make them actively dislike foods they may otherwise like.
When you’re exhausted, you may be tempted to bribe your kiddos with treats for eating other foods, but this can make that prize food even more exciting than the healthy food you offer. Remember, too, that even if a child refuses a food once, she may learn to like it. Even if it takes many attempts, your toddler’s taste buds may accept it one day. Another tactic to keep in mind is scheduling meals regularly and limiting snacking, which can help ensure little ones are hungry when you offer a new food.
Keep things colorful! Add vegetables, fruits and both meat and fish to help your child explore new flavors and textures of food. Different herbs and spices added to simple things like cauliflower mashed potatoes can make tempting tastes. To avoid waste, offer any new foods in small amounts, waiting at least a week or so before reintroducing the same food.
Get creative. The brighter the show, the more excitement! Colorful shapes kids recognize work, such as cutting sandwiches into Mickey Mouse ears or making pancakes from a dinosaur cookie cutter. Little fingers like to dip, so provide hummus, peanut butter or any dip you like. Making foods that fit into their hands is another way to help them want to eat.
Definitely involve little ones in meal planning. Put that toddler’s growing interest in exercising control to good use and have him pick out fruits and vegetables during visits to the store or farmers market. There are kid-friendly cookbooks you can read together to find appealing recipes. Or visit websites that offer fun graphics and follow along as you cook. Supervise your little chefs as they sift, stir, count ingredients and pick fresh herbs from your garden or windowsill. For example, painting on cooking oil with a pastry brush is fun, right?
Many nutritionists recommend using “food bridges” as a way to introduce foods with similar color, flavor and texture to help expand variety in what kids eat. If your little one likes that orange pumpkin pie, try mashed sweet potatoes then mashed carrots. Or say she like green Jell-o; try green beans, roasted brussels sprouts and cutting a big green watermelon.
Try pairing unfamiliar foods or flavors, such as sour and bitter, with familiar foods toddlers prefer, which are sweet and salty. For example, pair that bitter broccoli with grated cheese, which is salty.
If you are concerned about your child’s diet, talk with your pediatrician, who will help troubleshoot and make sure your child is getting all the necessary nutrients to grow and develop. Also keep in mind that picky eating usually is a normal developmental stage for toddlers.
Do your best to patiently guide your little one on the path toward healthy eating. As always, you are the perfect person to begin your children on their eating journey. Your lifestyle, your tastes, your interests and your love will ensure they enjoy the food they eat.
Judy Goppert lives in Lee’s Summit. She enjoys drawing on her personal experiences to write about the nuances of everything wonderful about life.
Sources: HealthyChildren.org, TheLearningExperience.com, PsychologyToday.com.