Why is my child picky?
Reasons for picky eating
There are many theories as to why a child might become a picky eater, but studies are inconclusive. According to Cambridge , some possible causes of picky eating include demographics, parenting characteristics, early feeding practices and psychosocial factors .
According to a study published by Yale, there is a difference in snack preference among children based on snack packaging. The children participating in the study preferred foods with their favorite cartoon characters on the packaging, compared to foods with no character packaging . This cultural factor can therefore also affect the tendency to picky eating .
What are the consequences of being a picky eater?
A picky eater doesn't necessarily mean your child is unhealthy. Picky eating is often a phase that comes and goes in children . There are many conflicting studies regarding picky eating and the risk of underweight or overweight children.
However, the best advice is to discuss any concerns with your child's pediatrician, as he or she can provide the best advice based on your child's specific situation and health needs.
Top tips for managing picky eating
What can you do about picky eating?
1. Make mealtime fun for kids
Use your imagination to make eating a fun experience. Don't feel like getting creative after a long day at work? No problem, we're here to help! Here we have collected some fantastic ideas that you can use to spice up your children's dining experience.
- Simple things like adding unique shapes or colors to food can have a big impact on a picky eater's willingness.
- Another way to make certain foods more appealing is to make figures and animals out of fruits and vegetables . These easy-to-make pancakes and healthy Christmas recipes can help inspire you.
- Offer the less popular foods on one of our divided children's plates, each of which depicts fun shapes. Find your child's favorite in our selection so that even unpopular foods can have a chance.
View plates: https://theberberis.com/collections/tanyerok-gyerekek
- Using the blender to change the texture and color of food. This not only helps to hide the vegetables in the children's food, but also gives the children a fun experience as they watch the "food transform" .
- "Don't play with your food ". - is a common remark from adults at the dinner table. Why not? Gamification is a great way to make eating healthy food an exciting event!
*A fun idea is to make a matching game for vegetables and fruits. It would be a good idea to make cards with pictures of foods and write the benefits of that food on the back of the card. The children should then note the benefits of the given food → "Blueberries strengthen the immune system", "Spinach makes you stronger" *.
2. Mix in new foods
When it comes to feeding picky kids, it can be difficult to find recipes that provide nutrition while satisfying even the pickiest of tastes. That is why we recommend this method so that the child can eat healthier: mix new foods into their meals . So mix macaroni and cheese with vegetables, ice cream and yogurt with fruit, and add apples to pancake batter. The key here is to mix vegetables or fruits into foods they already love!
3. Involve the children in cooking and choosing food
Cooking can be a really fun activity to do with the family! In addition, involving children in the cooking process or in the selection of food can be a great solution for some picky eaters.
When they have more choices about what to serve and even participate in the preparation of the food, children tend to be less picky when it comes to eating the food!
Here are some ideas to get the picky eater into the kitchen:
- Let the children choose a recipe. It's best to have some ready-made recipe ideas for them to choose from.
- Create a game around it: assign roles, ask children to (for example) "find and bring [insert the name of the fruit/vegetable you want]", and create any other rules in the game.
- Take the kids to the market or supermarket and introduce them to all the different types of vegetables.
- Put on some nice cooking music and get the kids involved in the kitchen by giving them age-appropriate tasks such as:
1. Making and mixing dough
2. Washing the vegetables
3. Counting and naming the ingredients (very useful for developing their vocabulary and teaching math!).
4. Set the table
5. If the children are old enough, you can encourage them to read the recipe aloud! This will be a great and useful exercise for them if they are just learning to read.
Browse through our wide selection of children's plates and find your child's favorite plate, which will make every bite enjoyable!
View plates: https://theberberis.com/collections/tanyerok-gyerekek
