It is not at all unusual for kids
to be picky eaters and that picky eating can be quite frustrating for parents
who are concerned about their children's eating habits.
However, children aren't being picky just to annoy their parents.
There are legitimate reasons for picky eating and understanding those reasons
can help us find ways to get our children to eat more foods that are good for
them.
- Children’s appetites are affected by their growth cycles. Even babies have fluctuating appetites. Between 1-5 years, it’s common for children to be really hungry one day and picky the next.
- Children learn by testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. They can be very strong-willed when it comes to making decisions about food (to eat or not to eat, and what to eat). It’s all part of their social, intellectual and emotional development.
- Sometimes your child will refuse food just because it gets an interesting reaction – from you! If children refuse to eat a food, it doesn’t necessarily mean they dislike it (after all, they might not have even tasted it yet). They might just be putting on a show of independence to see what you’ll do. Try to stay calm when this happens.
- They prefer sweet over bitter tastes. Dislike of bitter foods is a defense mechanism to protect us from eating things that are poisonous. Imagine young toddlers picking a leaf or flower from a plant and putting it in their mouth which was poisonous. Sweet foods, like fruits, on the other hand, are energy rich foods and it makes sense for children to be naturally attracted to the taste of foods that will give them the most energy.
- They are afraid to try new foods (neophobia). It doesn't usually kick in until kids reach about two years old. Interestingly, that's about the age when children aren’t completely dependent on their mothers for food. Avoiding unfamiliar foods can actually keep them safe. After all, they have no way of knowing what is and is not safe to eat.
- A final cause of picky eating is a dislike of particular tastes, smells and textures of foods. Gifted kids with sensual over excitability can be especially sensitive to certain tastes and textures. They may hate creamy textures or a mix of textures, like something that is both crunchy and creamy.
Tips for getting your picky eater to eat:
- Sweeten Bitter Vegetables: Sweetening vegetables can be done a number of ways. You can top them with a little mild vinegar, lemon juice or honey, or you can add caramelized onions to them
- Serve Vegetables Raw: Most vegetables are sweeter when they are raw, so kids who resist eating vegetables may eat them raw. It's a great way to get kids to eat green vegetables, like peas and green beans. Even potatoes can be eaten raw!
- Serve Foods in a Favorite Texture Form: Some kids like crunchy foods and some kids like creamy foods. If your child likes crunchy food, raw vegetables are good. If your child likes creamy foods, you can simply mash them. Sweet potatoes can be mashed and even cauliflower. You can even fry vegetables. Instead of french fried potatoes, serve french fried green beans or french fried cauliflower. If you don't want to fry the vegetables, try coating them with a little flour, sprinkling them with a little oil and baking them until they are crisp.
- Respect Your Child's Tastes: Everyone has foods they like and dislike. If your children don't want to eat broccoli, then don't force it. You certainly want to encourage your child to try a variety of foods, but if your child has tried something and says she doesn't like it, then respect her decision to say "no" to eating it. Keep serving that food at meal time. Over time, your child may become more willing to try it again.
- Give your child independence with food: Let your child make choices within the range of healthy foods you offer her – but try to keep options limited to two or three different things, or she could become too confused or overwhelmed to eat. For example, instead of asking her to pick what she wants from the fridge, ask, ‘Would you like grapes or carrot sticks?’ A good rule to remember is: you decide what food, and your child decides how much.
- Introducing new foods: Put a small amount of each food on the plate so your child isn’t overwhelmed. If you keep offering a particular food, your child is more likely to try it and eventually like it – in fact, she might have to see a food on the plate 10-15 times before accepting it. When possible, have your child share meals and snacks with other children – he might be more willing to try a food if other children are tucking in. Serve new foods along with foods your child already likes – for example, a piece of broccoli alongside some mashed potato.
- Avoid unhealthy foods: It’s tempting to offer your child food treats just so she ‘eats something’. But if you offer fatty, sugary or salty snacks as substitutes, your child might start refusing healthier foods – after all, she’ll know there are tastier options!
- Offering unhealthy treats as bribes – for example, ‘If you have a carrot, you can have some chocolate’ – can also make your child more interested in treats than the healthy foods.
The good news
is that the tendency to reject new foods fades as children get older. Remind
yourself that one day your child is likely to eat and enjoy a whole range of
foods, even if it’s very frustrating now!