Picky Eating Solved!

Picky Eating Solved!

By Caitlin Kiarie, RDN, CSR

In February 16, 2015

On Feed Them, Home Page Three, Mom Hacks

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Got a picky eater? Dreading the meal time power struggle? Concerned your child will turn into mac-n-cheese if they eat it just one more time? Don’t worry, I promise I can help turn things around. Almost every parent struggles at some point with their child’s eating behaviors, but it’s how we respond that may or may not create the dreaded picky eater.

There are many ways to solve this dilemma and, as you’ve heard a million times before, not every child is the same. That being said, I believe these three simple strategies are the most important tools to remember when feeding your little one!

Don’t be a short order cook: All too often parents are quick to whip up separate meals or even grab a PB&J sandwich or cereal bar as alternatives to what the rest of the family is eating in a desperate attempt to feed their child while minimizing screaming. The battle here may have been won, but you are slowly losing the war. Before you know it you will be making one dinner while simultaneously thinking about what else you need to make so that your kid will eat. This may seem like old advice, but the number one way to prevent picky eating is to avoid catering to it. As described by the famous Ellyn Satter, “the parent is responsible for “what” is served at meal times, and the child is responsible for “whether” they eat it and “how much” they eat of it”. Stick to your guns and before you know it everyone will be on the same page.

BE the eater you want your child to be: “Monkey see, monkey do”…for better or worse! We all have habits we would prefer our little ones don’t mimic, but it’s very hard to enforce the “do as I say and not as I do” rule in most households… Especially when it comes to food. Probably the most simple advice I give to my clients as it applies to picky eaters is to remember that you, the parent/caregiver, are the role model. Eat with your child at the same time and eat the same food. You’d be amazed how many people aren’t doing this already and how much this change can transform a child’s behaviors around eating. Even if you only have a small portion of the food they are eating and instead eat your meal later in the day while at work or when they are asleep, it’s crucial that they witness you eat the same foods.

Remove all pressure/coercion: “Take just one more bite of chicken and then you can have more mashed potatoes” or “You can’t have dessert until you finish your dinner” are some of the seemingly benign comments that escape parent’s mouths in an attempt to get their child to eat the foods THEY, the parent, feel are important to eat. When children feel pressure or coercion in any way to eat a certain type, or amount, of food, they automatically pull away from it and end up eating more poorly. Trust your child to know how hungry or full they are and which foods they want to eat more or less of.

Bottom line, the less you make it a battle, the easier it is to remove the power struggle from eating. Most adults would agree that mealtime is an enjoyable time for them, so why not have it be the same way for your children?

Want More? This is just a few of the strategies that will be covered by Caitlin Kiarie of Mom-N-Tot Nutrition in her class on “Picky Eating: How to Get Your Kid to Eat” at Montclair Baby on Friday evening February 20^th at 7:45 pm.