Ideally, meals should be a time for families to enjoy each other's company over nourishing food. Yet, families with picky eaters may grow to dread the daily standoff between parent and child. Before giving in to the easy lure of junk food designed to appeal to young palates, consider options that may make nutritious foods more attractive to your picky child.
Child's Choice
Prevent a mealtime power struggle with a picky child by letting her choose the dinner menu from time to time. The American Dietetic Association recommends allowing children to play an active role in selecting healthy foods that they like. Children are more likely to eat foods that they have picked out themselves. Planning meals with your child's input gives you the opportunity to begin to educate her about her nutritional needs.
Compose Your Own Meals
Meals can be a time for creativity and exploration. Many foods lend themselves to customization. Provide the base of the meal, such as baked potatoes, tortillas or pizza crusts, and encourage everyone to compose their own unique creation from a variety of healthy toppings. Set guidelines for picky eaters to follow, such as the requirement that they select at least one item from protein, dairy and vegetable groups. Be sure to provide some options that your children like. If they refuse to eat green vegetables, present them with yellow or orange choices.
Fun Foods
The American Academy of Pediatrics proposes increasing the visual appeal of your meals. Healthy items that can be eaten as finger foods may be more tempting. Crunchy carrot sticks, fruit kabobs, and meats and cheeses cut into fun shapes are much more kid-friendly than a "mystery" casserole. Some picky eaters object just as much to unpleasant textures and presentations as they do to flavors.
Purees
Given a choice, many children reject new foods. It is possible to introduce new items into their diet surreptitiously. Author Jessica Seinfeld proposes that parents include fruit and vegetable purees as ingredients in otherwise familiar recipes. Good options include items that are sweet or mild in flavor, such as sweet potatoes, squash, beans and apples. Incorporate nonfat dry milk in soups, puddings and milkshakes. Pureed zucchini and carrots can be indistinguishable in muffins, meatloaf and lasagna.
References
- Eat Right: Tips to Help Kids Eat Right
- Healthy Children: How to Please Fussy Eaters
- "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food"; Jessica Seinfeld; 2007
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