05/21/2021
Picky Eating is Tough for Kids and their families!
My #1 tip: Start a variety of foods from the beginning (baby-foods) and stick with it when you transition to whole foods.
I hear often, my baby loves bananas but hates green beans so parents will give baby just the bananas. This inadvertently starts the trend of eating just what baby likes. Instead, keep trying the green beans and other non-preferred foods and the bananas are offered every other day or 2-3x week.
Got a kid who will only eat one brand of chicken nugget & GOD FORBID they change the packaging?🤦🏼♀️
🍟Got a kid who will only eat at one brand of fast-food restaurant & a fry is NOT a fry at any other drive-thru?
👉🏼When kids are brand-specific, they stick to FAMILIAR. They aren’t comfortable with change, especially when it comes to their food.
🤷🏼♀️What to do about it? Start small. Include one small piece of the same food (different brand) on the child’s plate, along with the preferred food. Start with just visual acceptance – eating comes later.
👉🏼Don’t…
1. Put a new brand in the familiar brand’s container. It won’t solve a thing & it only breaks down trust.
2. Try to reason with your child. It just creates an adversarial environment even though it’s not your intention.
👉🏼Try…
🟣Encouraging your child to help prepare the new brand of a favorite food. Get them involved & keep the atmosphere light & happy.🟣Away from mealtimes, encourage your child to explore the new brand…cut it up with fun food cutters or child-safe scissors & really get to know it. Make it familiar over time.🟣Be consistent. When your child is tolerating the presence of the new brand, you can begin to serve a few pieces of just that brand & not the other. Be sure there is still something else for them to eat on
the plate too.💕Parent patiently – this one takes time!
