Many children fall into the “Picky Eater” category at one point or another, but why? Some children are simply testing their limits, while others may be dealing with sensory issues. The key to getting through the Picky Eater Phase is figuring out what the cause of it is. In this post, I will talk about the different reasons why a child may be going through this phase, as well as possible Picky Eater Solutions to help you through it.
See Also: 5 Tips For Dealing With A Picky Eater
Power Struggles
During the toddler years. the word “No” tends to become a favorite amongst children. They have learned that with this magic word, they now have some control. As a parent, you need to be persistent. Don’t let one (or two, or three, or four) “Nos” stop you from serving certain foods. That doesn’t mean that you should force your child to eat the things they say they don’t like. It simply means that you should still continue to offer them regularly. It can actually take up to a dozen tries before a child accepts a new food! One way to help your child accept new foods a little quicker is presentation. Many children will eat certain foods if placed in front of them in a new way. On my blog, you can find lots of simple food art ideas that are sure to please your picky (or stubborn) eater.
Sensory
If you don’t think your child is refusing foods simply because they can, you could be dealing with sensory issues instead. Some children aren’t necessarily picky, but maybe they are having a hard time maneuvering a fork or spoon the way they need to. They also might not like the feel of food on their hands, or getting their hands dirty. This can be very frustrating to a child and could be a reason why they aren’t looking forward to mealtimes. Pick-Ease was created to make mealtimes fun for picky eaters but it’s design is also great for helping to develop the fine motor skills needed to eat with a fork. Pick-Ease makes it easy for a child to poke their food in a way that feels natural to them, as there is no right or wrong way to hold Pick-Ease. There’s another product called Num Num which is the perfect first step to spoon feeding.
Some children simply don’t like their foods touching each other. In this case, you could try divided plates. Two of my favorite companies are Zak! and RePlay. Zak! carries beautifully designed character plates that my boys absolutely love. RePlay carries colorful plates made from recycled milk jugs. I personally love the simplicity of the RePlay plates.
Sometimes children could be feeling overwhelmed with the amount of food on their plate. I always recommend that you serve your child very small portions. If they want more after they’re done with what’s on their plate, you can always give them more. Placing small portions of food in an ice cube tray is a great way to make mealtimes more appealing to little ones who could be feeling overwhelmed.
Hungry?
Another reason your child could be refusing to eat at mealtimes is that they aren’t really hungry. You should be feeding your child breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a morning and afternoon snack. When it comes to snack times, give your child healthy options: carrots and dip, or fruit and yogurt. This will ensure that your child isn’t snacking too much in between meals and will actually be hungry when it’s time to eat. Head over to my blog to download my ebook: 29 Healthy Kids Snack Ideas for other great options.
I hope you’ve found some of these Picky Eater Solutions helpful! Do you have any tips or tricks you’d like to share with me? I’d love to hear them!