Picky Eaters Can Become Future Foodies December 2, 2019 For some parents, placing healthy foods on the table only to find them untouched at the end of a meal can be an ongoing frustration. Navigating family meals with picky eaters can be challenging, but a few simple practices can help ease your mealtime woes: Empower choices. Include your child in decisions, like which fruits and veggies to purchase at the store and offer options for which new food they’d like to try with a meal. Offer the same foods around the table. Serve the same meal to the whole family, trying new foods yourself. Talk about the textures, colors, smells and tastes. Include your child in meal prep. Although logistics can pose a challenge, try and incorporate your child in preparing food options. Age-appropriate tasks can range from arranging silverware to chopping veggies. Don’t give up. Your child won’t always love a new food right away, so as you try new things, offer that new food up to a dozen times before deciding it’s not the right fit. While there is no single answer to address all picky eating, switching up your approach to new foods can help encourage your future foodie to expand their palate and embrace delicious, nutritious foods.
