How to Feed a Picky Eater

Every meal, the opponents prepare for battle — in one corner is the parent with the goal to serve a well balanced, nutritious meal, and in the opposite corner is the child determined not to eat anything “yucky.”

If you are one of the many who have come to view meal time as a power struggle, there is hope.

If you have a young child, remember that they tend to eat only when they are hungry. Dorice Ramsey, Director of the St. Mark Child and Family Development Center, uses encouragement and examples to get kids to try new foods.

“Our child care center has children from many different cultures who are exposed to new foods,” said Ramsey. “We never force the child to eat but ask them to try a ‘no thank you helping,’ just a small serving. Then we discuss the taste and texture of the food and how the child’s taste buds are growing and changing with them so if they try the food every time, they may start to like it.”

Many families involve their children in selecting fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. At home encourage your child to help with the meals by rinsing the veggies, stirring batter or setting the table. Give him some say into the menu such as allowing him to choose a sauce to eat with broccoli or cauliflower.

If your child refuses even the notion of vegetables, you can try the stealth approach — add chopped broccoli or green peppers to spaghetti sauce, mix grated zucchini and carrots into casseroles and soups. Increase his fruit servings by topping cereal or yogurt with fresh fruit slices.

For those foods that your child just won’t eat, look for alternatives that can provide the required nutrients. If he can’t stand the grittier taste of whole-grain bread, then try whole-grain cereals or bagels.

One thing you don’t want to do is to become a short order cook — preparing a separate meal for your picky eater. This will only reinforce the behavior. Keep serving healthy choices until they become familiar and preferred.

If you're concerned that picky eating is compromising your child's growth and development, or if certain foods make your child ill, consult your child's doctor. In the meantime, remember that your child's eating habits won't likely change overnight — but the small steps you take each day can help promote a lifetime of healthy eating.

The teachers and staff at St. Mark Child and Adult Development Center understand that the best way to teach is by example. They often try food that they don’t especially like to encourage the children to do the same. If you eat a variety of healthy food, your children are more likely to do so as well.

Some websites that have nutritional advice for parents of picky eaters are the National Institute of Health, University of Missouri Extension, and Mayo Clinic.