I’m having a hard time getting my child to eat much variety. And fruits and veggies? Forget it! What can I do about my picky eater?
Every mama, whether she’s a polar bear or a sparrow, shares one instinct—we all want to feed our babies. So it can be incredibly frustrating and stressful when our little people refuse to eat. While we can’t force them to eat, take heart in the fact that a normal healthy child will not allow himself to starve and try a few ideas to encourage a wider variety at mealtimes.
Don’t be a short order cook: Ever notice how one day your child can scarf down a whole plate of lasagna and then three days later that same lasagna has been hurled onto the kitchen floor? It’s not that little Bobby has suddenly developed an aversion to it–he’s just thinking ‘I’m not in the mood for lasagna, what else ya got?’ So what’s a mama to do? Well, think back to that polar bear. You can bet that she’s not going to nip out to the local Dairy Queen for ice cream if her baby decides he doesn’t like fish anymore. Stick with what’s on the menu so the kiddies don’t think they can get away with holding out for their favourites.
Go for the instant replay: I confess that I’m not determined enough to bring out last night’s untouched dinner for today’s breakfast, but don’t hesitate to retry foods at the next meal. If lunch was a no-go, don’t feel you need to serve their favourites for dinner in order to make up for the missed meal. Take advantage of the fact that they’ll be less picky if they’re really hungry.
They don’t need much: We’ve all seen children eat 3 slices of pizza and a piece of cake in one sitting but it doesn’t mean they require that much food. The amount of food a small child needs is actually surprisingly small, so even if he only has a few bites of a new or less favoured food, consider it a success.
Get creative: Figure out where/when they’re most likely to eat healthy foods. Maybe they happily clean their plates if you’re at a friend’s house. My 2-year-old will try anything so long as he’s standing on a chair at the kitchen counter ‘helping’ me cook. When the environment is more fun, they’re less likely to start a power struggle.
Nanny Carrie’s Tip: Prepare meals in small freezable servings (mini-muffin tins are perfect) so you can easily introduce new foods on a regular basis without the hassle of making it from scratch each time and the frustration of throwing out large uneaten portions.
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I can definitely relate to the picky eater situation… my D was eating salmon and broccoli at 2, then almost overnight decided to eat nothing but yogurt and PB sandwiches. And I do mean nothing! We went to a pediatrician who said it was my fault – I had to stick to my guns and make him eat “real food” or nothing. 3 days later… so we made a deal: he had to try at least a bite of what was served. And then, if he really couldn’t stomach it he got a PB sandwich. Not a whole new menu, just a PB sandwich every time. The theory was that eventually PB would get a little boring and he’d branch out. It took months, but eventually he’d eat a whole slice of apple or a piece of chicken. By age 5 he had at least a couple of things from each food group that he liked, and now, at age 9, he eats a good variety. He even loves salmon sashimi!
My advice? Be patient and don’t make a huge deal out of it. Don’t feel guilty. And when in doubt, add in a children’s multi-vitamin or other nutritional supplement for good measure.
Very good tips! I love the muffin tin idea and plan to try that the next time my yummy food gets met with a “yuck”:)
My 16 year old son has always been the best eater – not a moment of worry for me ever. He is always interested to try new things, whether they be foreign foods, veggies, seafood. Check this – last night we were out at a restaurant. My son and my husband ordered the prime rib, which came with two huge broccoli stalks – when my husband balked at eating them, Nick reached over, grabbed them and gobbled them up. How many kids are less fussy than their dads? The secret? In my mind it was just offering different things with no pressure. Somehow it worked.
Thanks for the tips, Nanny Carrie! I believe being sturn about eating what is given to them is the smartest idea too. It may help them appreciate what they get once they’re older!
I think food is the biggest stress for most parents. I’ve just given up worrying about it. I offer up a few decent meals a day, and if someone takes a pass, that is their problem. No one is starving. BUT, it takes a long time to get to that place!! Ramona – I love that you have a teenager that will eat veggies!!!
My son will often pass on dinner for some reason or another. I love the idea of muffin tin portions so we are not wasteful on the days that he just won’t eat what I’ve made for dinner. That is a great idea…thank you!
I have made a point now of giving lunch early, a small snack like an apple at 3 and then she’s practically starving and she’ll eat her dinner.
She had been a particularly picky girl one week, so finally one day I put one bean on her plate.
“Where’s the rest?!?!” She said.
I actually got a pretty good amount in her mouth that night because it seemed like she finally clued in, “Dinner isn’t a given”…..