If you got a picky eater on your hands it may be frustrating to get them to eat properly every day. Combating this issue may be difficult but isn’t impossible once you learn how to improve your toddler’s food habits.
Most moms are probably seeing their children go through a fussy eating phase, it is frustrating to experience to get such kids to eat as the child is missing out on a lot of good food in terms of nutrients and varieties
Dealing with a picky eater is not as tough as it may seem, Below are tips to help you through a fussy eater phase.
- Make it small.
Allow your child to make a choice on what amount of new food they are willing to taste. Start with a small taste first and eventually their taste buds will get used to enjoying it. Keep in mind that the more their diet becomes the easier meal planning becomes.
- Introducing new food at a time.
Be sure there is also food that your child likes. You can achieve this by giving them new foods first at the beginning of the meal when they say they are still hungry. Do not offer too many foods at one time.
- Plan and shop together.
Involve your child in doing daily groceries and preparing the meals. This stimulates their interest and helps them take that first taste. They will be more likely to try it
- Be the role model
Model healthy eating patterns and try new foods and describe the taste to your child. Children take their cues from their parents. If you are acting like that particular food is something to be enjoyed, they’ll be more likely to feel that way too
- Be creative
Be creative about how you plate your kids’ food. Study shows kids are more likely to eat stuff they can dip and scoop. Also, having your child help you prepare food will increase their interest in eating it.
- Do not bribe them.
Do not reward children for eating a food they don’t like with one they do like. Bribing them this way reinforces the idea of one food as bad and one food as good, which only serves to make them dislike the “bad” food even more
- Do not give up.
Make it a rule that your child has to take at least one bite on whatever you prepare. Keep on introducing new foods, likely they’ll become familiar with it and would want to give it a try.
Research has it that it can take up to 10-15 times of exposing your child to food before they will accept it. You, therefore, need to understand that the new foods take time.
Fussy eating is a phase in most toddlers. Deal with a picky eater with patience and understanding, and their eating habits will improve over time.
