Nutrition for kids: 8 ways to deal with a picky eaters

A parent is always busy and occupied with their child, be it the war of baths or the combat of dressing them. There is always a mini conflict in the battle of parenthood and one of the most important fights is that of food. If your child eats whatever you give them, then we are pretty sure you are God’s favourite but not all people are so lucky in their life.

A picky eater is someone that we have encountered all our life, but parenting one is a whole different league altogether. Parenting is a tricky thing but there are always some tips and tricks that can help ease the journey. These are some tips you can use to help trick your picky eater:

The best way to help your child eat different foods is to involve them during the process. You can take them grocery shopping, or ask for their help while cooking. They are more likely to eat the food they helped in. Ask for their advice while planning the day’s menu and incorporate their inputs. This will help them build a connection with food and increase the chances of them trying new foods.

We know it is difficult to not get frustrated if your child does not eat the food that you prepared but you need to calm yourself down and not punish them for it. If you punish them for not eating it will create a link in their mind that eating can have negative consequences.

Large portions of food can overwhelm your child, offering them smaller portions than you think they can consume can reduce this feeling and they will be more open to trying new things. This will give them an opportunity to decide what they like and they can ask for more if they do like a food item.

Plate the food in an innovative manner that interacts with them. They are more likely to try a food if it looks good. You can cut the mango into little balls and turn strawberries into little hearts. Bento boxes are a great idea you can follow, there are a lot of bento boxes recipes on the internet.

It is important to maintain a routine. Give them meals almost at the same time every day. They will automatically fall into a routine and will get hungry at the same time. If they are not hungry they are more likely to be finicky about the food you offer.

If they are not eating their food, do not sit with them for the rest of the night trying to feed them. It gives an impression that they will get attention if they do not eat their food. Let them be and give them space if they are not eating their food. They will understand that food is not related to attention and will consume it when they are hungry.

Do not make them another dish if they do not eat the original meal. If you budge to their naggings and make them another meal, you might promote their picky eating habits.

We all know that children follow in their parent’s footsteps. If you are picky about your eating habits, they are more likely to notice this and do the same. If you want to promote good eating habits, you need to model that behaviour in front of your kids.