Mealtime should be an opportunity for a family to gather together and be nourished with conversation, laughter, and delicious food. There’s overwhelming evidence that family meals help kids grow up with fewer mental health struggles, exhibit less risky behavior, and develop a stronger family identity, so it really stinks when food is a source of conflict. But when you have a picky eater, it often turns into a battleground and a place of stress. In this episode, we talk about how to handle a picky eater, ways to inspire a child to eat, and when it might be time to get help.
It’s so common to hear about kids who only like chicken nuggets or don’t want their food to touch. Does that describe one of your kids? We have a few ideas for small steps you can take, like setting the rule that your child has to try something three times before officially declaring it a food he doesn’t like. Or have you heard of food chaining? It’s a way to introduce new foods by associating them with old favorites. We explain it in detail in the episode; don’t worry! We also talk about whether sneaking vegetables into meals is a smart idea or if it’s destined to backfire.
How do you know if your picky eater needs help from a doctor or food therapist? Some kids (and it’s especially common in those with ASD) have severe aversions to some foods to the point of gagging or throwing up. If that’s your child, you’re not alone, and there are people who can help.
Most importantly, if you have a picky eater, it’s not a sign you’re a bad mom, a bad cook, or a failure. It’s hard to struggle at meals, but we’ll give you some words of consolation to put it all into perspective.
Articles We Mentioned
9 Strategies for Feeding Picky Eaters
How to Fix a Picky Eater: 3 Easy Tricks
4 Signs Your Child’s Picky Eating Is Becoming a Problem
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