5 Ways to get your picky eater to eat more!

Picky eaters may develop as a result of a number of reasons, including genetics and one’s environment or up-bringing. There could be a sensory component linked to certain food aversions, some children may be more sensitive to certain tastes, smells and textures than others.

It can be a daily battle to try and get our little ones to eat healthily and increase their range of foods. And as parents we feel we have an innate duty to offer our children holistic eating and food exploration on a regular basis.

Here are 5 tips to follow that have helped me personally, manage my picky-eater:

1) Avoid overwhelming their plate

We know we like to dish up our little ones plates like we do ours, but it can be very overwhelming for them. They may immediately refuse to try their food if it is visually too much for them to take in and understand.

Try and keep different foods separated and only a small amount, it’s easy to grab a second serving if your little one enjoyed it! By using a kiddies’ plate with partitions, you are able to present meals to your child in this manner a lot easier!

2) Stick to their known favourites on certain days

Children like to know what to expect, it brings about a sense of security that allows their little minds and bodies to relax, explore, learn and engage. By letting your child know what to expect (and look forward to) you will create more excitement around meal-times as well as the willingness to try new things.

3) Explore foods of similar taste/smell/texture to that of which they like

If you know that your little one prefers crunchy foods to soft ones, try offering them new food items that are also crunchy. For instance if they are struggling with soft, cooked vegetables, try raw and crunchy ones.

The key element here is to build up their tolerance slowly.

4) Involve your little on in the process

Take your little one grocery shopping with you, let them pick out one or two food items that they would like to have. Similarly this can be done at home in your own vegetable garden, by letting your little one help you plant and harvest your crop for food preparations.

Get them involved in the actual cooking process, let them pour and mix where possible. They will have a new meaning attached to their food once it is presented to them to eat, which may in turn result in better eating habits!

5) Eat as a family unit

Each meal should be eaten as a family unit, whether this means just you and little one, or the entire family. This adds a sense of security and belonging to our little one’s day (just as knowing what meal to expect does), and this will further facilitate better eating habits.

Conclusion

No matter the reason why your child may be a picky eater, there are some things we can implement to ensure we are providing them with the correct opportunity to explore and develop their sensory profile in terms of food. Keep their plates simple, incorporate their favourite meals into the week and start exploring new foods based on the sensory profile of the ones they already like. Involving our children in the food preparation process as well as eating together on a daily basis, adds a meaningful experience for our little ones which opens them up to further exploration and overall a better eating experience for all!