It can be very frustrating when you have a picky eater in the house Trying to get your child to eat what they need to keep them healthy and strong is a constant battle in some homes. If your child refuses to eat nothing but macaroni and peanut butter, you are not alone, but there are some things you can do to get them to eat a more balanced diet.
- Realize that you child will only eat when they are hungry. It is important to respect this, and not try to force them to eat when they are not hungry. Forcing them to eat will only create a power struggle.
- Have a routine. When you have your meals and your snacks at the same time everyday your child will know what is coming and be ready to eat. Don’t allow snacks for up to an hour before a meal so when it is time to eat they will be hungry.
- Give them access to new foods, but be patient. Allow your child to smell them and explore them. They may even try putting them in their mouth and then spit it out without eating it. If they don’t eat it the first time try again in a few days. It may take up to ten times before they will actually eat it.
- Try to make food fun. If you serve vegetables with a sauce they like to dip it in they will be more likely to eat it. You can also try cutting things up onto shapes so they are thinking about what it looks like and not if they like it or not.
- Let your child help pick out foods. When you go shopping let your child pick out fruits and vegetables, and when you get home let them help you prepare dinner. They will want to eat something that they made.
- Sneak vegetables into them. If you are concerned about their nutrition, cut or mash up vegetables and put them in foods they like.