Tips for Picky Eaters
If you have picky eaters in your house, whether they're children or adults, you know how frustrating it is when you try to introduce new foods, only to meet with disapproval.
There are, however, some things you can do to increase the chances that they will eat what you serve.
1. Look at the big picture.
Serving a wide variety of food and encouraging everyone to eat a balance at every meal will eliminate many mealtime battles. Looking at the bigger picture helps you see that the balance might not come all in one day but generally averages out over several days.
2. Make mealtime a positive experience.
Eating is not a competitive event. Setting dessert up as the prize for eating the rest of the meal gives high fat, overly sweet food more importance than it deserves. It can also create habits of overeating and craving for unhealthy foods. Keep conversation light and supportive, not focused on whether the plate is empty.
3. Teach children to view food as fuel for active, healthy bodies.
Educate your child through reading books and discussing how their bodies work. When they understand why their bodies need fuel and what foods provide them with the best fuel, they can make wiser food choices.
4. Stock up only on good foods.
The foods you have available in your home will influence your children's diet and eating style. If good choices are on the shelves, your family will select them. Aim for variety, flavor and healthiness. Fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain breads and crackers, low-fat dairy products and sugar-free juices and teas are great snack options! And if there's no candy or soda in the house, before long, those baby carrots will start to look mighty good!
5. Be aware of other influences such as peer pressure and advertising.
Teach your family about the powerful medium of advertising to help them make wiser decisions and become more immune to its influence. Teach them to be critical viewers, and to look for mixed messages and ulterior motives.
6. Serve food your family enjoys.
Foods come in a variety of textures, temperatures, flavors and combinations. We are all unique individuals and some are more sensitive to variations in foods while others will eat almost anything. With the wide variety of foods available, there are many choices that will satisfy both nutrition and taste. Pay attention to your family's preferences and serve foods they enjoy along with foods that you encourage them to experience.
A big part of our lives revolves around food: planning, growing, shopping, preparing, serving, eating and cleaning up afterwards. The last thing anyone needs is to have another concern: eating disorders. Even though food and nutrition is very important, let's take care to keep it all in perspective so that our family doesn't feel undue pressure about eating.
