Picker eaters kids are picky for many different reasons. Naturally, some kids are more sensitive to smell, taste, and texture. But, other kids take advantage of their parents’ fussy eating habits and start to become picky eaters.
Tips to Deal With Picky Eaters Kids:
When parents start to bribe, punish or reward their children’s eating behaviors, kids start to develop picky eating habits. You should try new foods with picky eaters but avoid starting a battle over it.
1- Provide a Wide Range of Age-Appropriate Foods :
Parents should let their children pick from a variety of food like fruit, vegetable, starch and protein at mealtime. You should never limit your food menu to your child favorite foods.
Offer your kid the food you want them to eat to up to 15 times because that’s when a kid would try to eat it.
2- Set a Meal Schedule
Main meals and snacks are essential for healthy child growth. It’s best to fix a time table for breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner to meet your child’s nutritional needs and help your child know when their meals are.
We recommend that every 2 – 3 hours your child get a meal to avoid them being hungry. You mustn’t give your kid food between your scheduled meals.
3- Limit High Calorie Drinks:
If your child drinks too many calories from milk, soda or juice, he or she may not eat the healthy food you want them too. By drinking too many drinks, they’ll become full and don’t eat their meals.
So, you should give your child 24 ounces of milk and 4 ounces of juice daily. Soda is not a good option for kids because it has no nutritional benefits.
4- Make Meals Fun:
Eating is not a punishment and it should always be nice and fun as much as possible to encourage your child to eat his/her healthy meals.
Try having nice conversations and keep the table tidy and clean. Also, don’t let them watch TV while they eat to let them focus on their meals.
5- Avoid Cooking Their Favorites All the Time:
It’s okay if your child doesn’t like to eat the food he prepared for a meal or snack. Avoid the temptation to go back to the stove, cook food that you know your child will eat.
If your child refuses to eat or eat, there will be another one within a few hours, and he or she should be able to wait until then. When children are hungry because they choose not to eat, they will be more likely to eat what is offered next time.
6- Don’t Always Offer Dessert
Your kid doesn’t have to get dessert after each meal or every day. Sometimes, you can use desserts as a reward for them when they finish their entire healthy meals.
When parents are controlling or pushy, children tend to develop picky eating habits. As you battle with your kid to eat their food, it can get create resistance and defiance from the child.
Eventually, it is your kid’s decision as to what to eat or what not to eat. Sometimes, your kid may eat little or nothing at all from the food you want him/her to eat.