Tackling fussy eating - without losing your sanity!
“That’s disgusting!”, “I’m not eating that” are statements I have heard many times from my picky eater.
Two of my children will eat anything but the other one has a long list of ‘no go’ foods, including cooked carrot, zucchini, pumpkin, capsicum, avocado, beans, feta, quiche, lasagne….. (I’m sure you get the picture!)
Picky eating is an area of concern and frustration for many parents and a source of stress and conflict at mealtimes.
Many children decide that they don’t like a particular food based on taste, shape, colour or texture. My picky eater refuses to eat foods with a mushy texture and isn’t a big fan of orange and red vegetables.
I know I’m not alone in being concerned about whether my child's fussy eating is causing nutrient deficiencies. Such concern seems to be justified as studies have shown that children who are picky eaters tend to have lower intakes of vitamin E, C, folate and fibre, which can result in poor immunity and digestive problems.
If your child has a very restricted diet, it may be beneficial for them to take a quality multivitamin/multimineral supplement to ensure that they are getting the essential nutrients needed for optimal health, growth and development.
Here are some suggestions for managing picky eating that will hopefully reduce stress and mealtime battles :
Keep mealtimes positive and try not to give attention to fussy eating behaviour (this can actually encourage more negative behaviour)
Be creative
· serve non-preferred food in new and different ways, e.g. raw carrot sticks instead of steamed carrots, cut fruit into interesting shapes, make a face out of vegetables or a rainbow of different coloured fruits
· hide vegetables in meals, e.g. add grated carrot or zucchini to burger patties or bolognese sauce
· serve foods on share plates so children can help themselves
· try 'food on a stick', e.g. fruit skewers or vegetable kebabs
For younger children, try a reward chart.
The child puts a sticker on the chart whenever they try a new food item and a reward is given when they complete a row of stickers. Try to use experiences as rewards rather than food treats, for example, choosing a movie for family movie night, going out to a favourite indoor play centre or a family scavenger hunt.
I have created a set of FREE reward charts for families to use as a fun way to encourage their children to eat more fruit, vegetables and whole-foods.
Be patient and persistent!
Some children need to be offered new foods up to 20 times before they will try it.
Avoid offering favourite foods if your child refuses to eat the meal you have prepared.
Providing alternative meals can encourage further fussy eating as children quickly realise that they will be offered something they prefer if they make a fuss about eating the family meal.
Respect your child’s appetite.
Allow your child to listen to their hunger signals and decide how much they eat based on how hungry they are rather than forcing them to finish everything on their plate.
Avoid offering dessert as a reward.
This may be an effective strategy in the short-term, however over time it can negatively impact food preferences by increasing the child’s preference for sweet foods and devaluing healthy foods.
Limit snacks and drinks close to mealtimes.
If your child is hungry before dinner, offer them a small, healthy snack like chopped up carrots or cucumber.
Involve your kids in cooking.
Children who are involved in cooking tend to be more likely to make healthy food choices.
Set a good example!
Be a role model and let your child see you eating a wide variety of healthy foods. Also, avoid discussing foods that you don’t like in front of your children!
Allow your child to make choices at mealtimes, e.g. “Would you like carrot or broccoli?” Giving children the opportunity to make simple choices gives them a sense of control and supports their need for independence.
If your child has a very restricted diet, it may be beneficial for them to take a quality multivitamin/multimineral supplement to ensure that they are getting the essential nutrients needed for optimal health, growth and development.
References:
Fairfield Paediatrics, 2022, 'Dealing with a fussy eater', Fairfield Paediatrics, Sydney, viewed 20 September 2022, https://fairfieldpaediatrics.c...
Raising Children Network, 2022, Fussy Eating, raisingchildrennetwork.com.au, viewed 20 September 2022, https://raisingchildren.net.au...
Wolstenholme H et al, 2020, 'Childhood fussy/picky eating behaviours: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies', International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, vol 17 no 2.