Your Picky Eater

I recently saw this article about a British teenager who has reportedly never eaten anything but chicken nuggets and French fries. While I find it truly hard to believe that she has NEVER eaten anything else, it still made me sad for her that she has rarely (if ever) ventured outside of this limited "comfort zone" of familiar foods. The girl was recently hospitalized after collapsing due to the overall state of her health. The article and angry online commenters pointed a finger at the girl's mother for allowing her child to develop such atrocious eating habits. Some comments even implied that the case could be tried as child abuse. When interviewed, the mother said that she had tried to introduce new foods into her daughter's diet over the years to no avail.

Source

After reading the article, I thought of many of the families with whom I've worked over the years. I've taught so many "picky eaters" who were only interested in trying a small subset of seemingly unhealthy foods -- chicken fingers, French fries, tater tots, cheese pizza, cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese, cookies, etc. I completely sympathize with and understand the frustration that parents face in getting children to try new foods. It can be difficult, frustrating, time-consuming, and thankless.

Source

Here are some tips for parents of picky eaters, from the USDA: 

• Sometimes, new foods take time. Kids don't always take to new foods right away. Offer new foods many times.  It may take up to a dozen (or more) tries for a child to accept a new food.    

• Small portions, big benefits. Let your kids try small portions of new foods that you enjoy. Give them a small taste at first and be patient with them. When they develop a taste for many types of foods, it's easier to plan family meals. 

• Be a good role model by trying new foods yourself. Describe its taste, texture, and smell. 

• Offer only one new food at a time.  Serve something that you know your child likes along with the new food. Offering too many new foods all at once could be overwhelming. 

• Offer new foods first, at the beginning of a meal, when your child is the most hungry. 

• Serve food plain if that is important to your preschooler. For example, instead of a macaroni casserole, try meatballs, pasta, and a vegetable. Also, to keep the different foods separate, try plates with sections.  For some kids the opposite works and serving a new food mixed in with a familiar item is helpful.

Do your meals look like this?

While your child may resist your urges for him to try new foods, or to eat a balanced meal (see above), there are still ways to introduce new foods into his diet. For instance, some parents are disguising nutrient-filled foods into everyday meals. Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry Seinfeld's wife) has developed several kid-friendly cookbooks to promote positive eating habits and "disguise" some of the lesser-desired, nutrient-filled foods. Her website and cookbooks have "deceptively delicious" recipes and eating guides. There are also plenty of books on the market for creating "kid-friendly", whimsical meals. Research shows that children may be more apt to try new foods and eat a more balanced diet if they assist in making their meals, as well. 
 
We know that many children are naturally picky eaters, but we do want to help our children grow and develop new, healthy habits. However you attempt to introduce new foods to your picky eater, I wish you the best of luck. Stick with it and don't give up. It will pay off in the long run as your child develops lifelong, healthy eating habits!

If you want more information on healthy eating, be sure to check out the 'source' articles above. And here are a few more valuable resources for you and your family:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/childrens-health/art-20044948 

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/healthy_eating/kids_cook.html

https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/Food_Friends.pdf

http://www.eatright.org/kids/article.aspx?id=6442467922 

https://secure.ccie.com/library/5018090.pdf


Happy Eating,
The Prepped Parent