Is Your Child a Picky Eater? Try These Tips

It’s not unusual for young children to be picky eaters, but it can cause considerable stress to parents and caregivers. Let’s take a look at some strategies for surviving what can be a frustrating stage.

What Is a Picky Eater?

There is no universal definition of a “picky eater,” but it generally means the rejection or restriction of unfamiliar foods and usually occurs in developed countries. The scope of picky eating, however, varies with each child and the habits and routines of the parents.

Causes of Picky Eating

Your child is most likely to be a picky eater between the ages of 18 months and 3 years. Toddlers are beginning to develop food preferences and may fixate on a few foods for a few weeks and then trade them for others. This process actually begins before your child is born and is the result of complex relationships with food and with their parents.

Factors that predict eating patterns occur during three phases:

• Before and during pregnancy
• The first year of life, which is known as the early feeding phase
• The second year of life, which reflects parental feeding styles

Having a goal that your child will at least eat something from each food group at a meal is reasonable for most kids. Attaining that goal may take some planning, however.

Tips for Parents of Picky Eaters

• Be a good role model and eat what you would like your children to eat. This is important at all ages.
• From the time your baby is 6 months to 1 year old, focus on exposure and exploration. Allowing your child to touch, see and smell a food several times before having to taste it can help in reducing their hesitation when it comes time to try it.
• Remember that consistency is key. Just because your child does not like a food one day doesn’t mean they won’t like it the next. Keep trying the same food for a few consecutive days with the expectation of your child trying five little bites or tastes.
• As your child develops oral motor skills and can handle more challenging textures, try offering the food in question in a variety of presentations, such as smoothies, sauces, fun shapes and small pieces. Asking a child to eat a large piece of broccoli verses cutting it into little tree shapes and dipping them in a variety of flavorful condiments may make all the difference. Another strategy is to blend vegetables into sauces your child likes.
• A key technique is portion size. Plating too much food can be overwhelming for your child. You can always add more later.
• As soon as your child understands how to follow simple directions you can have them help with stirring ingredients, opening containers and pouring food into bowls — with your supervision, of course.
• When children are about 2 years old, they start seeking independence and pushing boundaries. Be mindful of your reaction when they throw food or spit out foods. Limiting negative attention can help to reduce or halt the behavior.
• Celebrate small wins at any age. Acknowledge when your child tries something new and praise them.
• Never use dessert as a reward. This can create an unhealthy relationship with food in the long run as well as overindulging in desserts. A better strategy is to have a small amount of dessert with the meal so all foods are treated the same.
• As children reach the ages between 3 and 5, allow them to make decisions about what they eat. Giving children choices prevents them from feeling out of control.

Feeding Disorders

If you are concerned about your child’s diet, talk with your pediatrician, who can help troubleshoot and make sure your child is getting all the necessary nutrients to grow and develop. An extremely limited diet of only five to 10 foods could be a sign of a pediatric feeding disorder, and your child may need the care of a feeding team (gastroenterologist, dietitian, occupational or speech therapist and licensed mental health counselor).

Keep in mind, however, that picky eating usually is a normal developmental stage for toddlers and will resolve with time.