Child’s Picky Eating Habits: Tips on How to Manage It

child's picky eating habits

It's difficult to accept child’s picky eating habits. Children couldn’t eat too much food the way adults do.  Kids aged 2 to 4 experience the low-appetite stage for eating. Their bellies are too small to fill in more food because their stomachs are as small as their fist.  If they have eaten a little, that’s sufficient for them.  

This is the reason why they have picky eating habits.  Most probably they only like familiar foods and reject strange ones.  In this case, it’s important that right nutrition is prioritized since children can only eat less. But how can parents introduce new foods in a way kids won’t reject them?   How will they conquer child’s picky eating habits? Here are a number of helpful tips:

Don’t force your kids to eat the food they dislike.  There are reasons why they hate it: because of appearance, taste, or smell.  Never give up if the child refuses to eat it. Be patient enough to offer it again next time.  Studies have shown that it takes about 10 times or more for kids to try new foods before they can appreciate them.

1.   Understand how hard it is for the kids and don’t scold them.  Even adults have picky eating habits and intolerance on certain foods.  It’s not that kids don’t want to try them; it could be that that new food gives them negative reaction which is highly intolerable. They might have the feeling of wanting to vomit if they continue eating.

2.   Show them, through words and actions, how good the food is.  Demonstrate the way it should be eaten and give constructive feedbacks about its nutrition.  A simple explanation will stamp out any underlying doubts and will reduce the child’s picky eating habits.

3.   Ask them to join you while cooking. Kids love to experiment and explore; it’s enjoyable.   With your close supervision, they may help you in their own little ways.  Motivate them to eat what both of you have prepared.  Surely, they’ll love to consume what they’ve cooked.  Immediately affirm and praise their appreciative acts for the food.

4.   Don’t say anything distasteful or negative.  They won’t like it if you say that it tastes bitter, will they? Say nice things about the food even if it’s not so as to convince the kid.  It’s easy to do it because a kid will take your words literally.  If you say, “it’s appetizing,” then that’s the way it’s absorbed—literally appetizing.     

Above all, keep in mind that child’s picky eating habits are parts of growing up. As your child evolves and discovers new things so will his choices of food!

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 Child’s Picky Eating Habits: Tips on How to Manage It  is a post on Modern Parenting Tips: Styles & Approach to Train & Discipline Children

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