Tips for Picky Eaters

When cooking FOR children we sometimes need tips for picky eaters. Just because we make a meal doesn’t mean our child will be excited about eating the meal. Here are some tips that might help you:

1. Be calm – Not much can make a child more stubborn than an angry parent. If they know there is an emotional issue at stake in this meal, they may decide to take you up on the challenge. Just offer food with a joyful and thankful attitude and enjoy the food together. If your child says they don’t want to eat it or won’t eat it, try to remain as calm and matter-of-fact as possible.

2. Keep snacks and juices out of reach for 1 hour before meals. If your child is starving and having a hard time waiting, offer them carrots or apple slices. If they want more than that, tell them they’ll get more when it’s meal time. If your child doesn’t have a big appetite, a snack or drink close to dinner time might fill them up enough to make them refuse to eat what is set before them at meal time.

3. Cut food in different shapes – Those Christmas cookie cutters can come in handy here. Or just cut the meal in triangles or strips or circles – whatever strikes your fancy. If the meal is changed a little, your child might be more likely to try something they wouldn’t normally eat.

4. Turn off the TV- Many times children are distracted by the television when they are eating. Plus, without the TV on you are more free to talk with them about what happened during the day. Some of our best family times have been around the dinner table with no TV on.

5. Stay away from bribing – Bribing your child with desserts can lead to health and weight problems for them later in life. If they always feel like they have to have something sweet at the end of a meal, that will stick with them for a long time. Plus the purpose of the meal should be to enjoy the food and not eat dessert.

This post on tips for picky eaters is getting pretty long. I’ll continue the rest of this in my next post. Any comments?