How to Help Your Picky Eater
One of the most common questions I am asked is how to
help a picky eater. If you’re worried that your child won’t
get enough nutrients from a limited selection of foods, the
good news is that because the American food supply is
super-fortified, nutrient deficiencies are rare.
If your child is growing normally according to your
pediatrician, you can almost always assume that he or she
is well-nourished. With the notable exception of calcium,
most nutrient deficiencies are easy to spot – you would
notice poor growth, low energy, slow development, and
unhealthy-looking skin and hair. If you notice these
symptoms in your picky eater, mention your concerns to
your pediatrician. Often a multivitamin supplement can
solve the problem and reduce your worry. Kids often grow
out of picky eating if it isn’t given too much attention, so
while you wait, here are some options to try.
1. Eat together as a family and let your children see you try
new foods (even if you’re not sure you’ll like them).
Children often identify with a parent’s eating style, so if you
don’t like something, it’s not fair to expect your children to
eat it. The opposite is also true – children’s tastes are
more sensitive than adults, so just because you like
something doesn’t mean they will.
2. Include your children in writing your shopping list, food
shopping, and meal preparation. These can be fun ways to
teach kids practical skills, while giving them some say in
what foods they see on their plates.
3. Walk away from power struggles. When your terrible two-
year old crosses his or her arms and says, “NO!” to food,
don’t let it rattle you. This is one way kids show
independence. Next time, try offering two different foods so
that your child has the ability to assert him or herself
without resorting to not eating at all.
4. Don’t go fat free. Fat in foods carries flavor and it really
does improve taste. In reasonable amounts, it doesn’t
make kids fat, it gives them energy and helps their brains
grow. Adding butter or cheese to cooked vegetables and
salad dressing to raw ones actually helps their bodies
absorb the nutrients.
5. Some kids are naturally suspicious of new things,
including foods. If you continue to include unfamiliar items
in your regular family meals without forcing your child to try
them, he or she may eventually feel more comfortable and
willing. Don’t get upset if your child eats around the new
food – just encountering it is helpful.
6. Trust your child’s sense of hunger and fullness.
Children have small stomachs and need to eat smaller
amounts and more frequently than adults. Never force
your children to finish everything on their plates, because
appetites change with growth, and sometimes children
really do need less to eat than they did at an earlier stage.
Serve them small portions at first and then provide more if
they’re still hungry. Large amounts on the plate can
overwhelm some children and turn them off from trying a
new food, especially if they think they’ll have to eat it all.
7. Avoid bribing picky eaters with dessert. This just makes
dessert seem even better and the other food even worse.
8. Buy and provide nutrient-fortified foods, as well as foods
that are naturally higher in nutrients (for example 100% fruit
juice instead of fruit punch), so that you can feel confident
that when your kids do eat, they are getting bang for their
buck.
No one likes to eat everything. Exposure to lots of foods
without pressure is the best way to help kids find the
nutritious foods that they like best. That’s why they come
home from a friend’s house raving about a dish they won’t
even consider at home.
Finally, if mealtime has become stressful in your home for
any reason, it will be difficult for children to eat
appropriately. Changes in eating behavior are sometimes
a reflection of stress or anxiety. In these cases, counseling
and an overhaul of mealtime may be necessary. Consult
your pediatrician for advice or try one of Ellyn Satter’s
books. A healthy relationship with food is one of the best
gifts you can give your child, far more important than the
one food that they will or won’t eat.
help a picky eater. If you’re worried that your child won’t
get enough nutrients from a limited selection of foods, the
good news is that because the American food supply is
super-fortified, nutrient deficiencies are rare.
If your child is growing normally according to your
pediatrician, you can almost always assume that he or she
is well-nourished. With the notable exception of calcium,
most nutrient deficiencies are easy to spot – you would
notice poor growth, low energy, slow development, and
unhealthy-looking skin and hair. If you notice these
symptoms in your picky eater, mention your concerns to
your pediatrician. Often a multivitamin supplement can
solve the problem and reduce your worry. Kids often grow
out of picky eating if it isn’t given too much attention, so
while you wait, here are some options to try.
1. Eat together as a family and let your children see you try
new foods (even if you’re not sure you’ll like them).
Children often identify with a parent’s eating style, so if you
don’t like something, it’s not fair to expect your children to
eat it. The opposite is also true – children’s tastes are
more sensitive than adults, so just because you like
something doesn’t mean they will.
2. Include your children in writing your shopping list, food
shopping, and meal preparation. These can be fun ways to
teach kids practical skills, while giving them some say in
what foods they see on their plates.
3. Walk away from power struggles. When your terrible two-
year old crosses his or her arms and says, “NO!” to food,
don’t let it rattle you. This is one way kids show
independence. Next time, try offering two different foods so
that your child has the ability to assert him or herself
without resorting to not eating at all.
4. Don’t go fat free. Fat in foods carries flavor and it really
does improve taste. In reasonable amounts, it doesn’t
make kids fat, it gives them energy and helps their brains
grow. Adding butter or cheese to cooked vegetables and
salad dressing to raw ones actually helps their bodies
absorb the nutrients.
5. Some kids are naturally suspicious of new things,
including foods. If you continue to include unfamiliar items
in your regular family meals without forcing your child to try
them, he or she may eventually feel more comfortable and
willing. Don’t get upset if your child eats around the new
food – just encountering it is helpful.
6. Trust your child’s sense of hunger and fullness.
Children have small stomachs and need to eat smaller
amounts and more frequently than adults. Never force
your children to finish everything on their plates, because
appetites change with growth, and sometimes children
really do need less to eat than they did at an earlier stage.
Serve them small portions at first and then provide more if
they’re still hungry. Large amounts on the plate can
overwhelm some children and turn them off from trying a
new food, especially if they think they’ll have to eat it all.
7. Avoid bribing picky eaters with dessert. This just makes
dessert seem even better and the other food even worse.
8. Buy and provide nutrient-fortified foods, as well as foods
that are naturally higher in nutrients (for example 100% fruit
juice instead of fruit punch), so that you can feel confident
that when your kids do eat, they are getting bang for their
buck.
No one likes to eat everything. Exposure to lots of foods
without pressure is the best way to help kids find the
nutritious foods that they like best. That’s why they come
home from a friend’s house raving about a dish they won’t
even consider at home.
Finally, if mealtime has become stressful in your home for
any reason, it will be difficult for children to eat
appropriately. Changes in eating behavior are sometimes
a reflection of stress or anxiety. In these cases, counseling
and an overhaul of mealtime may be necessary. Consult
your pediatrician for advice or try one of Ellyn Satter’s
books. A healthy relationship with food is one of the best
gifts you can give your child, far more important than the
one food that they will or won’t eat.
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Jessica Setnick is a registered dietitian in Dallas, Texas
who travels the world spreading nutrition wisdom. As an
accomplished speaker and writer, Jessica’s passion is
promoting a positive relationship with food and eating as a
key component of a healthy and happy life. Find out more
or contact Jessica to speak at your event by visiting her
website at www.understandingnutrition.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?
expert=Jessica_Setnick
who travels the world spreading nutrition wisdom. As an
accomplished speaker and writer, Jessica’s passion is
promoting a positive relationship with food and eating as a
key component of a healthy and happy life. Find out more
or contact Jessica to speak at your event by visiting her
website at www.understandingnutrition.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?
expert=Jessica_Setnick
By Jessica Setnick
