Ten New Tips to Win Over Picky Eaters

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve heard about a picky eater. We’ve all either had one in our own family or know one. It’s a troubling, concerning and often stressful situation for parents. I get that.

We all want our children to eat healthy food, and maybe even the foods we love too. So when they revolt, time and again, it’s frustrating, disappointing and challenging.

But we can’t give up.

The good news is that Picky Eater Syndrome (I totally made that up, by the way) tends to be a phase. Now I know that doesn’t make it any better today, but it can give us hope. I remember the wise advice from my mother that I repeated often when my children were a few years younger, “this too shall pass…it’s just a phase”. And it usually did, thankfully.

If not, there are a variety of things to try in your pursuit of raising healthy eaters. Here’s a few, you probably have others that I hope you’ll share in the comments below.

• First thing, don’t label them “picky”. It’s human nature to live up to (or down to) the labels that others assign us.
• Don’t force foods on them. My husband swears he won’t eat vegetables because of all those years his mom “forced them on him”. Whether or not that’s true, brute force doesn’t encourage healthy eating habits.
• On the flip side, don’t become a short order cook, preparing meal after meal each night in attempt to “get it right”. Children Offer healthy food and they will come around – eventually. Otherwise, they’ll learn that they can hold out and you’ll make what they really want.
• Take small steps towards new tastes. If they love cheese and not broccoli, combine the two and slowly increase the broccoli to cheese ratio. They love PB&J but not whole wheat bread, try a zebra sandwich of a piece of whole wheat  and a piece of white bread for a while.
• Gradually try new textures with familiar (preferably favorite) tastes for kids that have a hard time trying new textures. After baby food, try yogurts, mashed steamed fruit, and cottage cheese.
• Try healthy appetizers of veggies with a dip or use toothpicks to mix it up. Kids tend to be most hungry before dinner so let them nibble on healthy foods they might not devour at the table with their meal, while you wrap up dinner preparation.
• Get kids involved with meal planning, meal preparation, growing of vegetables, and selecting snacks. As soon as they’re old enough, get them engaged and understanding what makes healthy foods “growing foods” and why we have “sometimes foods”. Let them nibble along the way too – if they’re interested, take advantage of it!
• Make meals look visually appealing by using colorful, unique containers (muffin tin for small bites, layer yogurt, granola and frozen fruit in a fancy glass or parfait bowl, try some silicone muffin wraps), bring out the cookie cutters for sandwiches, fruit and vegetable shapes, and think about all the colors your meal will have. No one finds a meal full of brown or bland-looking foods appealing, especially little ones.
• Make something boring exciting with dips, spreads, or toppings. We serve waffles with chunky almond butter and bananas to create an entirely new dish that’s full of whole grains, protein and a serving of fruit.
• Give them choices. Let them have some control and influence over what they want. Ask if they’d like their carrots soft (steamed), or crunchy (raw), or if they’d like an orange or apple with lunch. For toddlers and preschoolers, choices should include two options that you’re comfortable with no matter which they choose.

The most important thing is to take small steps. If you’re child has been living off yogurt, PB&J, and mac n’ cheese, I wouldn’t suggest rushing to your favorite sushi or curry place. Every small step improves their nutrition and health, and helps them develop an openness to trying new tastes.

I know there are many parents who have successfully turned their picky eaters around, and I hope you’ll share any tips, tricks or techniques that have worked for you – below in the comments, or at the Feed Our Families Facebook page. Feel free to share these tips with friends too (we could all use some new ideas on this topic).

Remember, if you or your doctor are concerned about your child’s health or eating patterns that could be a situation deserving of potentially amped up efforts in partnership with a specialist. Please make sure to check with a professional in these situations.

Image source unknown -  but thankful for them.