Do mealtimes with kids tend to turn into a battlefield in your home? If you have to routinely coax, cajole, or negotiate with your kids just to make them take a few bites during dinner, just know you - you are not alone! The struggle is real and widespread. This is a recurring scenario for most families with young kids to see parents trying to get the kids something to eat while the young ones are stubbornly resisting. The result is always the same mess at mealtime with two very unhappy parties.
And it gets even more complicated when you meal prep for the whole week, and you have to factor in the picky eaters. Whether you are considering shifting to meal prep or have already tried a few months, you need to learn a few practical tips to make meal prepping more effective even with a picky eater.
Engage Your Kids in the Planning
That’s the first meal prep advice for picky eaters. When you start your weekly meal plan, do you engage your kids in the planning? Engaging your kids in planning can be the best way to spark their interest in food and nutrition. If they find they have some semblance of control over what they eat, they will take more interest in mealtime.
You can devise a trade-off strategy where they get to pick their favourite item if they agree to one of your things. And don’t limit your meals to two or three items; bring variation to it every other week.
Prepare a Theme
When it comes to meals, everyone has their preferences and taste, and it might be tough to cater to everyone’s wishes around the table. So how do you ensure that each family member is getting what they want to eat? Do you make multiple dishes for each meal?
Certainly not! It will be a waste of time, energy and it will eat up all your budget. Letting the picky eater skip meals is also not an option. Preparing a theme for the week can help you in this regard.
For instance, if planning a Mexican theme, you can get all the same ingredients to prepare different dishes. Those who like tacos will get to have it, and those who want burritos can wrap one on their own. This way, everyone gets to have their pick. Stick to themes that are customizable for each kid as much as possible.
Buffet Prep
Buffet prep is another good way to incorporate everyone's choice in a single meal. Prepare all the core ingredients, sauce, dips, tortillas, side dishes and lay them all out on the table. Everyone will be in complete control of what they eat and how they eat it. You don’t have to worry about what to put as topping or dressing.
To prepare a buffet, start simple with protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and veggies. For instance, you can choose any of these items-
• For carbs, prepare rice, pasta, tortillas, or potatoes
• For a protein source- grilled chicken breast strips, meatballs, or beans
• Fresh vegetables and salad
• Salsa, guacamole, or hummus for dips
Think Outside the Box When Preparing Their Lunchbox
Preparing lunch can be extra stressful with picky eaters. While you might easily manage a meal with leftovers, your kids might not like that idea. But it's nothing a little creative presentation can’t fix.
For instance, if you had rice and stir fry veggies for dinner, you can easily prepare a colourful bento box with the leftovers. Create their favourite character from animation and see how quickly they gobble it up!
Practice What You Preach
Children love to imitate grown-ups, and if they see you eating healthy foods, they will follow suit. It might take time for them, but the point here is to lead by example to inspire kids to at least try eating what grown-ups eat.
If you avoid greens, how do you expect your kid to grow up eating greens? Try different foods and recipes as a family, and your children will also be interested in trying new things.
Try making fruits and veggies more presentable by cutting them into different shapes. Let them decide what shaped fruit they want for a snack, and present them with colourful options.
Have A Backup Plan
Now, we know there is no guarantee that all your good intentions and efforts will pay off every day. Expect days when the picky eaters will be the hardest to manage. And you need a backup plan for those days. However, the backup plan doesn’t have to be fancy; just peanut butter and jelly sandwich might save the day.
Stock your pantry with some basic supplies so that you can whip up something on the fly. And don’t fret over the fact the recipe that you prepared with such care fell short of a PB&J sandwich. It's just kids' taste buds are not yet developed, and they might seek out familiar comfort food from time to time.
Be Mindful Of What They Are Eating For Snack
Kids are often not hungry at mealtimes because they might have been snacking just before meals. And if they are not hungry, there's no point in forcing them to eat.
Plan their snack time well before their meal, and if they are hungry before mealtime, consider moving the mealtime a little earlier than usual.
Keep It Simple
Having too many options is overwhelming for picky eaters. Even preparing a complicated recipe can turn out to be a disaster if they don’t like just a single ingredient or a condiment. So, it is better to stick to simple recipes with just a few ingredients.
Keep it small when you even portion foods. Or better yet, let them serve themselves, even if they make a mess. Once they like the taste, they can get another serving. If you fill their plate to the brim, they might outright refuse to eat. Kids need to learn how to manage their portions too.
The Bottom Line
While it is frustrating to deal with kids demanding the same things over and over again, don’t fret over it too much. You have to realise that their taste buds are still developing, and as they grow, their taste will change as well. If they don’t like something, don’t outright ban it for life. Keep at it with the healthy foods, and eventually, they will adapt.
Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/lMcRyBx4G50
