Dealing with Picky Eaters Can Certainly Affect Your Patience – But Don’t Give Up!
How often have you heard, “I’m Hungry” all day, only to have mealtime arrive and your child will not eat anything? Dealing with a picky eater can certainly challenge your patience. The most important thing to remember is not to give up. Consistency is key when dealing with a child who is convinced they can only eat chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese. In fact, research shows a child will need to try a single food up to 20 times before they truly determine whether they like the food or not. Here are a few options to help with your picky eater:
Create a Meal Schedule
Children thrive on having a consistent routine, and mealtime should be no exception. Research shows children benefit from having breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner and, in some cases, a bedtime snack. To establish consistency, it is best to not allow snacks between your scheduled meal or snack times. Additionally, do not force your child to eat if they are not hungry during snack or mealtime. The focus should be on joining the family at the table and not what they do not want to eat.
Make Meals Fun
Presentation of snacks and meals offers a fun alternative to what may seem like boring food. Cutting a sandwich with a cookie cutter, organizing vegetables into the shape of a smiley face or even stacking cheese cubes like a tower all offer alternative options to boring vegetables or cheese. Additionally, try creating a rainbow with vegetables and fruit. No matter the way you choose to present food options, have some fun with the presentation. You may be surprised at how much your child eats when they think the meal is fun.
Focus on Portion Size
Large portion sizes can create an overwhelming feeling for children, especially if the food is not well-liked. As a reminder, your child may need to be offered or taste a food up to 20 times before they realize they may or may not like it. Therefore, when offering food, offer a small portion on their plate. Offer a variety of foods on their plate, but keep the portions small. They may surprise you and ask for more!
Involve Your Child
Involving your child in meal planning or grocery shopping allows children to feel as though they may have ownership over what food they consume. Perhaps when meal planning, you can ask your child if there is anything they would like to eat. Often, your child may respond with cookies, cake or ice cream, which is completely fine. However, this can open an opportunity to discuss those are fun desserts that can be eaten sporadically, but our meals should focus on food that nourishes our bodies with the nutrients we need to grow. Teaching our children the benefits of the foods we consume will also assist with opening their minds to trying new foods.
PALS Can Help Support Your Child’s Eating Habits
Balancing the nutritional needs of a picky eater can challenge your patience. At PALS, we know the importance of routine and meeting the nutritional needs of children. If you’re interested in discovering more about PALS, we encourage you to tour both of our locations. We offer two campuses in the Peoria IL area. Our North Peoria campus is located at 2327 W Willow Knolls Rd in Peoria IL. You can call us there at 309-691-4326. Or you can contact us at our Downtown Peoria campus, 700 NE Greenleaf in Peoria IL, at 309-220-2033. We invite you to schedule a tour and see how PALS Praise & Leadership Schools is here for a healthier today and tomorrow.
