What’s For Dinner?

Tips and Tricks to Teach Picky Eaters About Foods WITHOUT Saying The “H” Word (healthy)

Picky eating is stressful and frustrating; especially because kids have to eat to grow and stay healthy! The pediatrician office chart and school teachers lecture on packing a ‘healthy’ lunch! Social media warns us about toxins, metals, fats, sugars, and how everything we feed our kids is wrong. We often hear from families that their child barely eats ‘kid friendly’ foods, let alone a varied, adult diet.

Let that stress go and read along for simple tips and tricks to teach your picky eater (and likely re-teach yourself) about foods and what they do for our bodies. Take it from me, a licensed OTR, certified SOS feeding therapist, and extremely picky eater.

• Reduce the pressure to try new foods. If you say, “No, you don’t have to eat it,” then say it, and live by it! Children are more likely to eat when the pressure is off. Instead, consider saying things like: “Hmm, I wonder how this food feels? Do you think it smells? What sound will it make when I take a bite? I am going to test it – ooh did you hear my crunch?”

• Keep It Neutral: Remove words like yummy, tasty, gross, junk, healthy/unhealthy from the vocabulary and truly, honestly describe the food. Here are some examples:

• • Hard/Soft
  • Crunchy/Chewy
  • Wet/Dry/Sticky
  • Big Smell/Taste Small Smell/Taste
  • Sweet/Sour/Salty/Rich/Savory
  • Explodes/Shatters
  • Dissolves/Melts
  • Sticks/Coats/Lumps

• Teach Why We Eat The Food: Simply stating, “Because it’s healthy, isn’t going to cut it. Picky eaters are curious and cautious. They need more details! Here’s an age breakdown of explaining foods:
  • Ages 0-3: This food helps us:
    • Grow, see, poop, stay full, have fast energy, get strong

• • Ages 3-5: This food ha:
    • Fiber, Calcium, Vitamin D, Carbs, Sugar, Protein
    • That helps us: Grow, see, poop, stay full, have fast energy, get strong

• • Ages 6-11+: This food is hard/soft/crunchy/chewy and salty/sweet/rich/sour that has (fiber, calcium, Vitamin D, Carbs, Sugar, Protein). This helps us (Grow, see, poop, stay full, have fast energy, get strong)

• Eat with your child: No one likes to be watched while they eat. Eat together, even if you are still learning to like the food – narrate your feelings!
  • “Hm, this food is wet and sticky, I am not so sure, maybe I will just smell it today.”

For more helpful tips and ways to explain almost every type of foods from cucumber, to oats, to beets check out https://kidseatincolor.com/ and search the food you are curious about for a specific breakdown like the one above. If you have questions about feeding, reach out to us at Child and Family Development. Remember to have fun with food and ask an OT or SLP for additional tips and tricks at your next appointment!