{The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird,  Monkey Boy & a friend about 10 years ago}

Last week, while talking to a friend with young children, she mentioned her frustration with having picky eaters.  She said she would love to grow a garden, but her kids wouldn’t eat anything she grew.

What?

I started thinking back when my kids were young or even about my recent battles with Monkey Boy over milk, and wondered, what causes kids to be picky-eaters?   I mean, I get the struggle, with so many options for brownies, cakes, soda and treats, the prospect of a big plate of broccoli is kind of a hard sell.

I stumbled onto an article that suggested that finicky eating was a genetic protection mechanism–that if little cave children put anything they saw in their mouths, the results would be disastrous.

And while being picky is completely normal, there’s still a ton of things to try to broaden your wee one’s {or your  Handsome Husband’s} tastes.

Here’s a few that I found and/or used myself:

1. The No-Thank-You-Bites.  Put a bit of food on the plate.  Tell your child that they don’t have to eat it all unless they like it, but they do have to take 3 bites, just to make sure it’s not their new favorite food.
2. Presentation is everything.  A friend of mine gave me this tip years ago, and seriously, it worked wonders on my kids.  She told me to get an ice cube tray, toothpicks, fun plates, etc.  Put the new foods, mixed in with some favorites, in each space of the ice cube tray–the fun of the presentation takes over, plus the amount of fruits, veggies, etc. doesn’t seem so overwhelming.  I also used toothpicks to make kabobs out of everything–fruit, veggies, even little bits of fish or chicken.
3. Lead by example.  Your kids might be disgusted by what you put in front of them, but repeated exposure and visually seeing you eat your greens matters.  Think about how much what your parents ate impacted your eating habits as an adult.
4. Don’t turn it into a power struggle.  Keep meal time calm.  {Easier said than done after  you’ve spent so much time to prepare it!} Praise them even if they just have a taste and move on.
5. Your child will not starve themselves.  They are smart and have inherent life-preserving instincts, so try not to get too hung up on how much they’ve eaten of their meal.
6. Set your personal limits.  Are you willing to make considerations for each child?  Are you going to provide snacks after a meal for kids who chose not to eat their meals?  Choose what works best for you and stick to your guns, that way you don’t have to dread the meal time battle too.
7. As far as gardening goes, allow your child to pick one thing to grow.  Help them plant it, water it, etc.  The studies I read said that children who have a hand in their food tend to be more interested in trying it.  {The same goes for them helping to prepare it.}

Do you have picky eaters?  What do you do?

~Mavis

FYI: This Food Face Plate is AWESOME for picky eaters. Umm, and it’s totally fun too.