Do you have a picky eater?
While having preferences, and foods we absolutely detest, is
completely normal, picky eating can present real challenges for families at
meal times.
My number one goal for every person at the table is to enjoy
the meal together. Here are some tips to
bring peace to your dinner table this spring.
- Eat ‘family style’ when possible. This allows your child to see and smell options. This way you’re not forcing your child to take an undesired food, but he/she can observe others at the table enjoying it.
- Continue to serve foods you know your child likes. By increasing the likelihood that they’ll have at least one ‘safe food’ at the table, he/she might be more likely to branch out and try something new.
- Introduce completely new foods at a snack time rather than a meal. Snack is usually less formal and therefore puts less stress on trying something new.
- Offer plenty of choices. Milk or water? A whole roll or split? Apple slices on the dinner plate or in a bowl?
Now seems an ideal time to begin checking out fruits and
veggies as they become ‘in season’ at the grocery store or local markets. This is a great language opportunity
too. It’s fun to talk about where it
grows, varieties, how it’s harvested, what kind of texture it has, and finally
what it tastes like. You can always talk
about different ways to cook and serve it.
Sometimes just learning about unfamiliar foods can pique
interest in trying them.
Happy eating,
-Elizabeth
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