Having a child who is a picky eater is very common. Preschool-age children are especially prone to being picky eaters and this may not change when they start primary school. Getting your picky eater to try new foods can be frustrating to say the least, so here are a few tips to help you on your way:
- Stop talking about it.The more you try to force food on a child, the less likely he will want to eat. The more you talk about it, the more this will reinforce the idea in your child’s mind.
- Use different plates.Serve small portions on small plates using small utensils.
- Offer a few choices.Offering a variety of bite-size choices will make your child feel more empowered about the decisions he makes. Too many choices may overwhelm him so only offer two or three choices.
- Don’t put a new food item on your child’s plate. Again, allow him to make the choice, place it on a separate plate and don’t make a big deal of it. Allow him to make the decision as to whether or not he will be willing to give it a try.
- Introduce new foods when your child is definitely hungry. A hungry child is far more likely to try something new.
- Invite 'guests' to join you. Make it a special occasion by inviting a treasured doll to join you. Allow the child to encourage the guest to eat.
- Involve the child in preparation.Getting your child to add the seasoning or help you prepare an ingredient removes the mystery from food. It will also help if; Daddy exclaims, “this tastes delicious, who made it?”
