How to Deal with a Picky Eater

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Every thing about How to Deal with a Picky Eater | Vahrehvah :

Vijaya Botla RD, LDRegistered & Licensed Dietitian

Kids, especially young ones, can be quite picky when it comes to trying new foods. Here are a few tips for parents to follow to avoid a fight or meltdown at the dining table!

• Keep mealtime positive.

• lgnore negative behavior whenever possible. Stay calm and avoid overreacting to your child. Your child senses your stress and may “act up” even more.

• Never bribe or reward your child to eat, and never use food as a bribe, reward, or punishment (especially dessert or candy).

• Let your child help plan the menus and make sure you are not making multiple sets of meals. Serve one meal for the whole family; modify it so that it is appropriate for your younger child (size of foods, texture, or portion size).

• Avoid a power struggle and never battle over food. lf your child refuses to eat (doesn’t like the food, is not hungry, or not feeling well), never force him/her to eat or punish him/her for not eating.

• Help your child develop a healthy body image by modeling good eating habits. Set a good example by eating a variety of healthful foods every day. Be a great role model for eating and downplay dieting, calorie counting, and food phobias.

• Check your own attitude about food. Just because you don’t like a food doesn’t mean your child won’t enjoy it!

• Plan an interesting after-dinner activity if your child dawdles over the meal.

• A food must be served at least 10 times before a picky eater will eat that food in an acceptable portion.

Remember, it’s what and how much your child eats over a week, not at each meal, that counts.  Good luck parents! (Some tips courtesy of Abbott) *The views expressed in this article are those of the dietitian and may not reflect those of AAPI