Picky Eaters

September 27, 2018

Have you given up on vegetables? Picky eaters are challenging for many families.  Here are some of our favorite tips to help.

1. Don’t Stress

Research shows it can take a baby up to 15 tries before they accept a new food into their diet! Don’t take a refusal personally (even if you spent all day cooking) and try not to stress about food choices.  

2. Avoid Power Struggles

Fighting with your children about what they eat doesn’t work. Since children ultimately have control about what goes in and out of their bodies, this is a battle you won’t win.

3. Eat Together

Eating with your children, especially eating the same thing, makes it more likely that they will develop healthy eating habits.  If you won’t eat the peas, why would they?

4. Accept their Appetite

Letting your child learn when they are full is an important part of regulating themselves.  You can promote this by letting children decide when they have had enough, rather than force feeding them.

5. Get Creative

Try cutting vegetables into shapes or adding fruits or veggies to a favorite dish (like peas in their rice or fruit in their yogurt).  Making food look more appealing can go a long way to pleasing picky eaters!

For more tips on managing mealtime, click here.

 

Photo credit