Tips for feeding children who are picky eaters, including snack and meal ideas and other parenting tips.
The dinner table can become a battle ground when children refuse to eat. As many as a third of families with young children deal with this problem on a day to day basis. Brussels sprouts, cabbage and tomatoes routinely top the list of vegetables children hate. As a parent, getting children to eat balanced nutritious food instead of only a few favorites can be a challenge.
Neophobia, or fear of new things, is a common reaction children have to food. Parents can counter this fear through education and gradually introducing new foods into the child's diet. Parents can set a good example by buying only nutritious foods and eating the very things you want your child to eat. Some children use refusing to eat a food as a way to gain attention. Respond calmly and consistently when your child refuses a food. Be aware that children have a natural tendency not to like foods when they are allergic to them.
Encouraging children to experiment with new tastes and textures can begin in the kitchen. Involve your children in planning meals, shopping for foods and preparing them. A food that normally has a lukewarm reception may become a delicacy if the child helped make it.
Teach children about the food pyramid and what makes a balanced diet. This can be made into a game by creating a score card and giving the child a sticker for each type of food eaten in a day. Limit the number of stickers available for the foods you are not encouraging like snacks and sweets and offer more sticker opportunities for foods you want to increase. Talk about how foods are used in the body and what children need to eat to grow. Try to limit sweets to meal times. Don't completely exclude favored foods from a child's diet as these items become more prized and contentious.
Make food fun! Presentation can be everything. Celery may not be touched normally but spread it with peanut butter or cream cheese and put a few raisins on it and "Ants on a log" may be gobbled down. Two year olds for that matter may only eat tacos if the meat, cheese, lettuce and tortilla are served as separate items. Cut food into interesting shapes and lay it on the plate in a fun pattern like a smiley face.
Think about food textures. Many children don't object to a food's flavor as much as how it feels when it is chewed. To child's taste hamburger may be much preferable to sirloin steak because it is softer and easier to chew. Pureed vegetables in sauces can not be picked out and often go unnoticed. If your child will only eat mashed potatoes for a while, mix in some extra dry milk or try serving the potatoes with cheese. If your child likes cheese try serving cheese sauce over some vegetables.
Most children outgrow their food fears over time. Few children are truly harmed by refusing to eat certain foods. If a food isn't accepted at first, bring it back again later. Children's tastes change as they grow and what is "yucky" today may be "yummy" tomorrow.
