Going to Pinterest for recipe ideas often leaves me feeling like I just missed the Gourmet chef training that seems to be coming in the parenting package.
I mean the rainbow-colored gluten-free hand-made pasta! While I applaud these mother (and secretly feel envious), I don’t think I can do the same for my kids.
My kids weren’t born saints. They were very selective about the foods they ate. Most kids are. And it’s not their fault. Not even yours.
Simple Everyday Tips for Picky Eaters For The Frustrated Moms
Kids have 30,000 taste buds in their mouths. They are born with three times as many taste buds as adults. So, when they try out a food, its flavor and texture are three times stronger for them.
But that doesn’t mean you stop offering them new foods when they suddenly start voicing their opinions. Here’s how you can remove the pickiness from young eater using simple everyday tips for picky eaters:
Keep Trying
Don’t label the food as a goner, in the first go. Children change minds constantly. They might like sweet potatoes one day and choke on it the next day.
It’s not always because they don’t like the food. Perhaps they were full the next time you tried. Or maybe they were in the mood for a different flavor.
My suggestion is to keep trying. Their taste buds may take a few more tries to get used to a certain food before they actually like a certain food.
If they still don’t like it, stop for a while. Try later. Don’t force it.
Never label the food as a goner. When your child hears it from you, it becomes a reality.
Refrain from calling your child a picky eater, even if he is the king of picky eaters.
Start Young
Healthy habits are nurtured during the very early ages. Get your kids to try out new foods when they are in the face of sampling everything. Make eating a special bonding time with your kid. Eat together as a family.
Stop bribing them with candies
This is probably the worst mistake you are making with your picky eater. When I discuss tips for picky eaters, this goes to the top of the list.
Often when our kids aren’t eating a certain food, we offer them a treat for finishing it. While this might get your child to finally eat the broccoli, you are setting a wrong example. You are unconsciously telling your child that broccoli isn’t yummy, and that candy is.
You don’t want to do that. Later, when you are not around and they have access to both broccoli and the candy, what do you think they would choose?
If you want to offer them a bribe, make it something that isn’t a treat. Offer them a healthy eater sticker.
Change the shape and texture
My son was initially very opposed to the idea of eating a banana or a potato. After trying for a while, I realized that he wasn’t keen on the mushy texture. What I did was introduce banana in a smoothie. He loved it!
Though I won’t recommend sneaking in the ‘yuck’ food, I do recommend changing textures once in a while to get your child’s taste buds acclimated to a certain food.
When you sneak in food, you break your child’s trust. He might realize what you have done. This would make him even more wary of the new foods you offer him.
Eat healthily
Be honest, where do you think your child first developed the taste for cakes and biscuits?
It’s probably you or your partner who offered them a treat. Your child copies you. If you eat healthily, they would eat healthy too.
Purge your home of the junk food. Add more colors to your pantry and fridge. Stock up on fruits and vegetables.
When they don’t have access to all the junk, they will end up picking the apples and bananas when they need a snack.
Create a schedule
We don’t realize it but our kids need a schedule. They might try to fight it, but once you do develop a schedule, there’s less drama. The kids are happier and you are content.
Kids should be eating after two to three hours. Create a schedule around these timings.
Limit Snacks
I’m sure you must have heard of this while growing but snacks really do kill appetite.
Don’t offer snacks right before mealtime. If they are hungry, offer them a glass of water. Sometimes kids don’t know the difference between hunger and thirst.
Create meals together
When you create meals together, your kids enjoy food through all five senses. They see the beautiful colors. They smell the foods cooking and hear the sizzling. Touching the food also allows them to appreciate the foods. Let them taste the food as it goes through the entire cooking process.
This isn’t one of the easiest tips for picky eaters, but once you start creating meals together, you’ll find out how enjoyable it can be.
Enjoy Mealtime
Mealtime can be a dreaded task if you have picky kids. Make mealtime a time for family bonding. Get excited about it.
With every mealtime, offer them five to six choices. These don’t have to be properly cooked meals. They can be sides and dips like cucumber and carrots sticks. Request them to give each food a try.
When you sit down for a meal, enforce good table manners. Get them to say a prayer for gratitude. Reprimand them for voicing negative opinions about food.
Don’t force foods
Often the first response, when your kids don’t eat food, is to force them to eat the food. That’s not a good idea. Forcing your kids to eat stresses them. This kills their appetite. Possibly yours too.
If they don’t like food, ask them again. If they don’t like it, leave it. Get them to try something else. Meanwhile, try out the other tips for picky eaters.
Have you tried any of these ideas out, or do you have any tips for picky eaters of your own? Please join us in our FREE Facebook community to let us know!
As always, if you have concerns about your baby’s health and would like to set up a free consultation to discuss your concerns, please reach out! I would love to help you determine your child’s individual needs. We are here to support you as you help your child blossom!
I would love to help you determine your child’s individual needs. We are here to support you as you help your child blossom!
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