“My child isn’t into veggies, and I’m really concerned about his health and nutrition.” “My kid only asks for his favorite chips whenever I try to offer new food.” These are just some of the common complaints we hear from parents who bring their stubborn picky eaters to our clinic.
We understand how hard it can be for parents to convince their little picky eaters to try a variety of foods. Since these children are growing, they need proper nutrition to stay healthy.
However, one thing many parents fail to understand is the underlying reasons why their children become picky eaters.
Reasons Why Your Child Is a Picky Eater
Children become picky eaters for various reasons. Some children might naturally be more sensitive to the taste, smell, and texture of food. So, this type of child has difficulties with oral sensory input. Sometimes, kids pick up picky eating habits from their parents. Meaning, if as a parent if you prefer junk foods over green vegetables or other healthy choices, your child will likely follow you.
Early feeding issues or starting solid foods too late can also make a child refer to foods that they can easily swallow.
If kids are choosy about food when they’re young, it can turn into a habit. And, parents can unintentionally make things worse. If they scold, bribe, or praise too much about eating, children may become even pickier. On the other hand, forcing a kid to try a specific food is also not recommended. Their child may develop a certain fear or complete dislike for those foods as they grow up.
How to Encourage Kids to Try Diverse Food Items?
The best way to handle this is to introduce new foods without making mealtimes stressful. Lets see how you can do it –
- It is a common thing that every parent wishes for their children to try different types of foods. But forcing them for food is something you should never do. If you see, your little one is only taking one or two bites of a new type of food, that’s completely okay! You may want your child to finish the food, but that may not happen for the very time your child is exposed to the new foods. Because, it is observed that it may take around 15 tries for a child of a new food to get used to that specific taste for it. So, give your child the time and be patient.
- Offer them multiple types of choices. First of all, you already know what your kid’s food preferences are. So, you can introduce a new type of food along with the preferred food item. Offer different types of veggie options on the dinner table. For example, if your child does not like cooked carrots you can offer them raw carrots. Another thing you can do is use some amazing bowls or plates with printed Spiderman, superman or any other character your child is fond of. Serving new foods on these utensils will somehow compel your child to taste them.
- Okay, now it’s come to build curiosity in your child’s mind about food. So, while cooking or preparing meals, involve your little one. Ask for little help like handing you over the veggies, washing them, etc. Make them see how the food is prepared and convince them they had a hand in preparing the meal. This will encourage your child to try out the food generously.
- Set a good example. Don’t expect your child to eat veggies if as a parent you don’t eat them. So, be a good role model. Plus, remove all kinds of distractions like TV, smartphone, tabs or any kind of devices during mealtime. Let your child focus only on food, and allow them to feed themselves. Let them touch, smear, drop, and eat the food.
- Make mealtimes fun and organized. Create a healthy and friendly atmosphere and have good dinner table manners. Let your kid enjoy the mealtime, engage them in conversations, and ask for feedback on the cooked meals. Encourage them to sit on the chair until everyone finishes. Looking at anyone trying almost every type of food will build discipline in their behavior.
Well, it may take some time for your little one to build a new eating habit. So, be patient and attentive.
Bottom Line
At Hope AMC, we offer top-notch therapy for picky eaters in Dubai.
We can create a tailored daily meal plan for your kids. We can also guide parents on setting meal times, adjusting the eating environment, and finding the right foods for their children.
We offer a one-of-a-kind therapy and meal plan for children based on their picky eating behaviors. We help kids learn to sit at a table or overcome other challenges that affect their eating habits.
Visit our website for more details! Or, book an appointment today.
