Perturbed With Picky Eaters?

Is there anything more frustrating than putting in the time and effort to make your child’s favorite dinner, only to hear her say, “I don’t like that anymore?” Kids’ tastes seem to change with their moods, and can be difficult to follow. One day my daughter announced, “Now that I am five, I don’t like shrimp and I don’t like cheese on my macaroni.” When she turned six, she informed us that these dislikes had passed.

If you struggle with picky eaters in your kitchen, don’t worry. For each meal of the day, make something for your entire family that your child is likely to enjoy. Don’t become a short-order cook who makes a different meal for every member of the family. Encourage her to try at least one bite of each item on the plate.

If she pushes it away, let her know that choosing not to eat is perfectly fine, but that you are not making anything else until the next meal (even if that meal won’t come until tomorrow morning). If she is hungry but doesn’t like her meal, she may get something else on her own, as long as it is healthy and she cleans up after herself. My kids are allowed to replace disliked meals with things like lunch meat, cheese, yogurt (keep an eye on the sugar level and ingredients in the yogurt), or rice cakes topped with almond butter. You could even convert the small meat tray in your refrigerator to a “kids compartment” and keep it stocked with approved foods the kids can get for themselves when they want a meal replacement.

It is important that meal times remain pleasant. Don’t engage in a battle of the wills over food. Trying to force your child to eat something will just result in everyone being upset and frustrated for no real gain. Don’t be concerned if your child doesn’t eat much (unless she is having growth or nutritional issues). Consider what your child eats over the course of a week, rather than an individual meal, to make sure she is hitting all of the food groups. On the flip side, encourage your good eater to listen to her body and stop eating when she is full. It is better to throw food away than to form the habit of overeating.

Trust that your child will not starve. She may skip meals, but as long as she is healthy, she will eat when she is hungry. Set her up for success at meals by making them a fun time of reconnecting as a family.