Fussy eaters can be tricky business! Before sharing my 5 tips for Fussy eaters, let us first know why it is important to tackle fussy eating habits.
” My child is a fussy eater is something ” that I hear quite often in my clinic. Picky eaters not only miss on nutrition but a lot of delicious flavors! Understandably it is also difficult to plan meals and cook for people who are picky. Often healthy foods like green vegetables, salads, fruit, skinless poultry and fish, beans, legumes, and nuts, low-fat dairy, whole grains, are on the “I Don’t Eat this” list of fussy eaters.
Here are 5 tips for Fussy eaters that will have them eating out of your hands!
1. No Catering for different needs
Plan your meals to include at least one item that everyone will enjoy, even if it’s baked beans for the vegetarian or a fruit and yogurt parfait for dessert. After that without making any exceptions, serve a single dinner to the entire family. The habit of cooking separate meals for everyone is time-consuming, and it might take kids a lot longer to develop a taste for new foods.
2. It takes 11 attempts to accept something
It’s typical for kids to be wary of unfamiliar things, even food. According to research, it can take a child up to 11 attempts before they determine they like a new cuisine. Continue to serve broccoli and even let kids play with it or touch it to get a sense for how it might taste in their tongue. Always request one bite from them.
3. Don’t Insist on finishing the food
Encourage kids to stop eating when they are full rather than consuming all the food on their plate. A useful rule to keep in mind is: 1 tablespoon of food per child’s age for each dish (about 2 or 3 dishes). Adults sometimes forget that young children have small bellies. Therefore, we can serve 3 tablespoons of peas, noodles, and chicken to a 3-year-old child. Hence the most important tip for fussy eaters is do not force them to finish everything on their plate and make it a boring task for them.
4. Involve them in shopping for food and cooking
My fourth tip for fussy eaters is simple – make them work for their supper!
If they assisted in its planning or preparation, children are more inclined to try a dish. Giving youngsters the freedom to choose their own vegetables of the grocery store will give them confidence. Children feel proud to share and eat if they are involved in cooking food . Therefore, you can give them age-appropriate chores to do, such stirring, chopping, or measuring out ingredients. This strategy works well with fussy eaters – child or adult: When you ask them to assist with the shopping and cooking then they get more invested in the outcome and more curious about the process then
5. Best Tip for fussy eaters – Plan Smart Snacking
Another great tip for tackling fussy eaters is to serve them healthy food at snack time. Because this is when they are genuinely hungry and will eat anything . Veggies , Fruits and hummus are great snacks ,they provide enough energy and nutrition without making them overeat . Although salty chips, cookies, or even sugary granola bars , gummy “fruit” snacks may feel like a good choice , they are not really healthy. A good time for snacks is 2 hours before their regular meal.
Armed with this arsenal of 5 smart tips for fussy eaters , I am sure your meal times will now be stress free and a time to bond with the family.
(Pics courtesy – Pexels and Canva )
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Zariya Healings.
Leave a Reply