Getting children to try and enjoy different foods can be a challenge I know this from personal experience not only with my daughter but with also having my own issues around food textures; but with patience and creativity, you can encourage healthier eating habits.
Below I have compiled a list of 11 tips to help you with this difficult challenge and later in the blog post, I have put together 10 meal ideas for picky eaters.
Tips
1. Lead by Example
Eat Together: Have family meals where everyone eats the same food. Children are more likely to try new foods if they see their parents enjoying them; sometimes this means even letting young children eat off your plate so they know they are getting the exact same thing.
Positive Attitude: Show enthusiasm for trying new foods yourself. Your positive attitude can influence your child’s willingness to try new things.
2. Make Food Fun
Creative Presentation: Arrange food in fun shapes, colours, or patterns to make it more appealing. Consider using cookie cutters for fruits, vegetables, and sandwiches.
Food Art: Create food art on the plate, such as making a face with different foods. This can make eating more engaging and enjoyable.
3. Involve Children in the Process
Cook Together: Let children help with meal preparation. They are more likely to try foods they have helped cook.
Shop Together: Take your children grocery shopping and let them pick out new fruits, vegetables, or other healthy foods they would like to try.
4. Introduce Foods Gradually
One at a Time: Introduce new foods one at a time and in small portions. This prevents overwhelming your child with too many new flavours at once.
Pair with Favorites: Serve new foods alongside familiar favourites. This can make the new food seem less intimidating.
5. Create a Positive Mealtime Environment
No Pressure: Avoid pressuring or forcing children to eat certain foods. Encourage them gently and make mealtime a stress-free experience; don't get upset if they refuse to touch the new food.
Family Discussions: Talk about the food’s taste, texture, and appearance during meals. Engage children in conversations about where food comes from and its benefits on the body.
6. Use Dips and Sauces
Flavour Enhancers: Provide healthy dips and sauces like hummus, yogurt, or guacamole. These can make vegetables and other foods more palatable.
Experiment with Spices: Mildly season foods to enhance flavour without making them too strong. This can help children develop a taste for different seasonings.
7. Offer a Variety of Foods
Different Forms: Serve foods in different forms. For example, if your child doesn’t like raw carrots, try steamed, roasted, or in a smoothie.
Frequent Exposure: Repeatedly offer new foods without making a big deal about it. It can take several exposures before a child accepts a new food.
8. Encourage Exploration
Food Adventures: Make trying new foods an adventure. Create a “taste test” game where children rate new foods on a scale or create a food passport for trying dishes from different cultures.
Positive Reinforcement: Praise children when they try something new, even if they don’t like it. Rewarding the effort can encourage them to keep trying.
9. Be Patient and Persistent
Consistency: Keep offering new foods even if they are initially rejected. Children’s tastes can change over time.
Stay Calm: Remain calm and patient if your child refuses a new food. Avoid turning it into a battle.
10. Incorporate Learning
Educational Resources: Use books, videos, and activities that teach about different foods, nutrition, and the importance of a balanced diet.
Gardening: Start a small garden where children can grow their own vegetables. They may be more willing to try foods they have grown themselves.
11. Model Healthy Eating Habits
Balanced Diet: Ensure your own diet is balanced and varied. Children often mimic the eating habits of their parents.
Avoid Negative Comments: Avoid making negative comments about foods in front of children. Focus on the positives and encourage an open-minded approach to trying new foods.
Meal ideas
1. Pasta with Hidden Veggies: Make a tomato sauce packed with finely chopped vegetables like carrots, spinach, or bell peppers.
2. Chicken Tenders: Baked or lightly fried with a side of dipping sauce like honey mustard or barbecue sauce.
3. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: Customize with different cheeses or add slices of ham or turkey for variety.
4. Quesadillas: Simple cheese quesadillas or add chicken or beans for extra protein.
5. Pizza: Homemade or store-bought with customizable toppings like pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, or extra cheese.
6. Smoothies: Sneak in fruits and vegetables like bananas, spinach, or berries blended with yogurt or milk.
7. Baked Potato Bar: Offer toppings like cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, and chives for them to choose from.
8. Tacos: Build your own tacos with options like ground beef, chicken, lettuce, cheese, and salsa.
9. Macaroni and Cheese: Classic comfort food that can be customized with different cheeses or mixed with veggies or bacon.
10. Chicken Fried Rice: Make it with simple ingredients like chicken, rice, peas, carrots, and scrambled eggs.
These options often cater to different tastes and allow for some flexibility in ingredients to accommodate for picky eaters or children with issues around food in general. By implementing some of the strategies I talked about earlier you can help your children develop a more adventurous palate and a healthier relationship with food. Patience, creativity, and consistency is key to success and remember it can take a while and sometimes fed is best when it comes to giving in to safe foods if you can't get them to eat at all.
