3 Ways to Help Your Kids Overcome Picky Eating
And Keep Your Sanity!
Picking eating is a common worry for parents. Sometimes, it’s just a phase. Some kids simply are more selective about the foods they eat.
Picky eating seems to run on my husband’s side of the family, and admittedly, some family members have inherited the “picky eating” gene. Hear me out on this one. One of my children was born well after my father-in-law passed and also has the same eating habits as grandfather, right down to the love of chocolate. There is no possible way the child could have known this information as an infant.
So, if you have a picky eater in your family, I commiserate. I am familiar with the constant worry. Will my kid get sick? Will my kid grow right? Is my kid lacking vitamins? How can my child not love broccoli?
These tips are from the journals of a nonpicky eater in a picky eater family, tested, tried, and true.
Think Long-term
The worrying, the overwhelm, can occur so easily, especially when we are managing our children’s diets. As adults, we know the benefits of eating veggies, but as kids, I’m sure we can all remember times where we ditched the veggies and went straight for the meat. We worry about our little ones and their health.
If you have a child who has not outgrown the picky eating, it can add to your worries. The trick to avoiding this stress is to have a long-term plan. Introduce foods slowly and over time, and by the time they are 18, they will have a better appreciation for eating healthy and trying new things.
To think long-term, I do two things:
Every once in a while, I take stock of the progress I made with my kids. Many kids start out eating only a few things in their toddlerhood. When your kids are toddlers, simply let them eat what they will. At least they are eating, and they know what they enjoy, so that’s a good start.
When children get older, sometimes they want to eat like the adults. Other times, they want to grow up, so they consider something they loved when they were little as a baby thing and don’t want it anymore. Still other times, they might get bored with eating the same things all the time. Whatever the reason, as your kids grow, they will become motivated to expand their horizons.
I waited it out, until my child was old enough to understand. Children can become stubborn about what they want to eat, and then not listen to logic when you try and tell them that carrots are so much better for them than crackers or chips.
It’s just a kid thing. As people grow and mature, they develop the ability to see past themselves, be more empathic, and appreciate other point of views. They will also be able to appreciate how healthy foods help them.
Keeping in mind that this is just a snapshot in time in your child’s life can help you manage all sorts of stress. Taking stock of progress made and then keeping in mind that better times will come as your child becomes more mature and is able to increase his or her understanding keeps you from getting stuck in worry mode.
Use Your Child’s Favorites to Introduce New Foods
This trick is one of the best strategies I have used to expand little children’s palettes. This strategy is especially useful if you have a little one who is really sensitive to new tastes.
Here is an example. My child likes French fries. I moved from packaged fries to “Momma Fries,” which is healthier than the premade, packaged versions. From there, I was able to transition Momma Fries to “Momma Oven Potatoes.” I simply cut up some potatoes, mix them with a bit of oil, spread them out on a pan, and then cover them with spices (oregano, pepper, garlic powder, and sometimes with a bit of a creole mix).
Notice how I put the word “Momma” in my foods. For things I make for the family, I always start it with Momma so my little one associates different foods with good cooking and with foods she already loves.
Here’s another example. One of our little ones started out only loving packaged, premade chicken nuggets. We took “chicken” and coaxed her into trying “Momma Chicken.” I take leftover chicken and use a bit of oil in a pan to fry it up with some spices. (Again, oregano, pepper, creole, and garlic powder are often used here.) She loved it! Eventually, I was able to talk her into trying oven-baked chicken, and she took to that one too.
Make a Deal
We have cut all sorts of deals to get our kids to eat healthy.
One of them is super picky, so we have even offered money to try something new. It works! When the urge to earn a dollar comes up, that’s when she will try a different food.
You know your kids best, so do what works for you.
Hang in There!
If you have any questions about your children and their eating habits, visit your doctor.
My kids’ pediatrician told us that if a toddler wants to eat pizza all day long, let him! At least he’s eating.
From there, keep your thoughts productive so you don’t fall down the worry rabbit hole. Keep track of their progress so you can remind yourself how far they’ve come. Reward them for being brave and trying something new. Associate favorites with new foods so you can take baby steps with them. Eventually, who knows? They’ll learn to love broccoli too!
