Aug 23, 2024
279
Wellness
What to feed a picky eater
In the classic children’s book “Bread and Jam for Frances” by Russell Hoban, a young badger vows to eat nothing but bread and jam, her favorite food. The book is a classic for a reason — children’s picky eating is a common dilemma for parents. Don’t beat yourself up, or let a know-it-all parent on the internet judge you for it! Even some of those proud parents who like to share that their one-year-old loves broccoli and salmon might be in for a rude awakening. Pediatricians say many children, especially ages 2-6, like to exercise their growing independence by rejecting certain foods — even former favorites.
What you should NOT do is bribe or force them to eat. When you offer ice cream as a reward for eating broccoli, you’re sending a not-so-subtle message that one food is good and the other is not. Forcing a child to eat food may make them more resistant, or even lead to disordered eating later on.
Here’s what you should do instead.
-
Even if they have rejected a food several times before, keep putting a little bit on their plate (without calling attention to it), especially if it’s something the rest of the family is eating. Toddlers are notoriously fickle, and favorites or dislikes can change day to day.
-
Though the path of least resistance is the easiest, don’t fall prey to only cooking their favorites. Cook and offer a variety of meals.
-
If the food is rejected and you’re worried about nutrition, you might offer a nutritious (but not too exciting) standby - an egg or a bowl of cereal. Milk is a great source of protein, so if you have a “chicken nuggets only” kid and you don’t have heavy investments in fast-food companies, offer some palatable fruits and vegetables and yogurt.
-
Rebrand! The kid who wouldn’t eat kiwi might love a “fruit pizza.” A very simple recipe, which kids can help with, is below.
-
Model good behavior. If children see their parents eating lots of fruits and vegetables, it makes them more attractive, especially as they get older.
Featured Article
Most of all, don’t let picky eating cause temper flares and trouble. Staying calm and being a trustworthy, stable parent they can count on will pay dividends in your family later on. If you’re worried about other behavioral issues, early intervention from professionals, like those at TidalHealth’s outpatient behavioral health clinic, can help. And spoiler alert: Little Frances the badger eventually does eat foods other than bread and jam.
Super-Easy Fruit Pizza
Difficulty:
Easy
Servings:
1
Prep Time:
5 min
Cook Time:
0 min
Total Time:
5 min
Ingredients
1
graham cracker
2 tablespoons
yogurt (Greek yogurt is best for protein and adherence)
Various
blueberries, sliced strawberries, peeled and sliced kiwis or other fruits from your fridge
Directions
1
Spread the graham cracker with yogurt, and top with selected fruit. A young child who helps with this “recipe” might be more likely to eat it, so let them participate!
Topics:
