Fussy Food: Strategies at Home to Help With Picky Eaters
WRITTEN BY HANNAH BAKOWSKI
*Author’s Note: This blog post can be used as a guide to provide strategies that may help encourage your picky eater at home to eat unfamiliar foods and enjoy their mealtime experience. It is not meant to diagnose your child with “picky eating.” If you are concerned that your child is a picky eater and it’s affecting their health, please speak with their doctor.
Many of us have witnessed a dinner or another meal with a picky eater. Typically, this person sticks to the familiar basics and gravitates towards bread, pasta, mashed potatoes, etc. Many of us know a picky eater, but what exactly is a picky eater? Unfortunately, there is no exact definition as they can fall within a number of different categories. A 2015 study that focused on reviewing the different definitions of picky eaters concluded that there is simply not enough research to give an exact answer6. Luckily, researchers have focused on the different types of picky eaters and from these studies, developed strategies to help families at home introduce new foods to children with a selective palate while engaging in an enjoyable mealtime experience.
One journal article published in 2021 conducted a literature review of different studies involving the eating patterns of children with autism, specifically studies that observed these eating behaviors over time5.
Food Selectivity: Often called picky eating, an individual only chooses to eat certain familiar foods. This often improves as the individual ages, but studies have shown that this can actually worsen if parents/caregivers stop trying to introduce new foods5.
Selective Eating: Typically goes along with sensory sensitivity, in which an individual sticks to foods with a feel or texture they prefer while avoiding ones they don’t like. This can look different for anyone expressing this behavior, but most often has individuals preferring food with a smooth texture compared to a lumpy texture5.
Ritualistic Eating Patterns: Typically require the food to be presented a certain way in order for them to accept the food and eat it. This behavior also includes individuals who are brand specific and who must eat at the same time every day5.
It’s important to note that just because a picky eater has a selective palate, it doesn’t mean they don’t eat a sufficient amount. Instead, these individuals prefer familiar foods and don’t explore foods out of their realm of comfort. Studies have shown that picky eating is more common throughout growth and development and is unlikely to cause any damage to long term development1. Being a picky eater can have certain consequences, highlighted by a lack of dietary variety which can lead to a lack of vitamins and minerals consumed. For example, a lack of adequate vitamins and minerals can lead to weak bones if not enough calcium and vitamin D are consumed. Secondly, a lack of fiber intake can cause constipation, and lastly, a picky eater can unintentionally cause stress on their families.
Strategies
The following strategies are meant to be incorporated into your family’s mealtime routine aimed at encouraging picky eaters to try unfamiliar foods and gain more enjoyment out of their mealtime experience.
Attitude: The most important strategy is maintaining positivity and patience. It won’t be quick or easy to get your picky eater to eat a larger variety of food, but with perseverance and a positive outlook, it is possible!
Providing Choice: Picky eaters should never feel forced to eat. It’s best to encourage children to try new foods, but ultimately, they are the ones who should decide what foods they will eat, and how much of it4. You can do this by simply providing new foods to try and let your child choose if they want to try it.
Setting an Example: An effective way of expanding your child’s palate is to be positive role models. Studies have shown that when picky eaters see their parents/caregivers consuming lots of fruits and vegetables, they’re more likely to eat fruits and vegetables themselves1. So, join in on the fun and try new foods yourself! By doing so, your child will make positive associations with trying new foods.
Making Mealtime a Fun Family Activity: Getting your picky eater involved in the process of creating a meal or snack may increase their willingness to try new foods and their enjoyment of the experience. This can range from letting them pick a new food to try3, going grocery shopping, to making the meal. When serving meals, preparing or presenting the food in fun ways may also get your kid excited about trying it3. For example, if you’re introducing new veggies, cut them up into different shapes (if possible) and/or serve them with different kinds of dips. Maybe try having a picnic in your living room for dinner (or anywhere there is space) and eat picnic-themed foods. The ideas are only limited by your imagination and would be a fun and exciting experience for everyone in the family!
Familiarity: Often, children are resistant to trying new foods that feel unfamiliar to them. By slowly introducing new foods into your home, children will become exposed to new foods gradually. For example, if your child typically eats pancakes for breakfast and you want them to start eating fruit as well, place a small bowl of fruit next to their plate. They might not touch the fruit the first few times, but if you do this every day, the bowl of fruit next to their breakfast will begin to be familiar. Studies have shown that it may take 10 to 15 exposures to a new food for a child to even try it1, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend waiting a week before offering the same food again so that your child doesn’t become overwhelmed3. So, start off by introducing the bowl of fruit containing a fruit you know your child likes. Once they get comfortable with the idea of the fruit being part of their breakfast, start introducing a fruit that they’ve never tried before, but only give it to them once a week. This strategy will not only help to increase dietary variety, but it will also work well with picky eaters who have a ritualistic eating behavior. After a while, typically 10 to 15 exposures, that bowl of fruit will become part of their breakfast routine5!
Avoiding Pre-Meal Snacks: By avoiding frequent snacking, your child’s appetite will increase. Generally speaking, snacks should be given at a specific time each day. Everyone is different, but typically snacks should be given 1-2 hours before and after meals. This ensures that your child will eat food provided in their meal instead of waiting for a snack right after the meal that might be less nutritious6. So, if your picky eater tends to eat a bunch of their favorite snack before a meal, they’re less likely to eat the food provided for that meal. They’re also less likely to try new and unfamiliar foods they’re exposed to during that meal if they’re not hungry1.
Overcoming a picky palate in your child is no easy feat, and these strategies are certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution. Trial and error is the best course of action. Whatever you do, do not give up! It’ll take time and patience to get your picky eater to eat a more balanced diet, but when they finally get there, it will be worth it!
If you have other strategies or suggestions, please comment below and share them with our Fast Feet community!
