10 Ways to Deal With Picky Eaters

It's quite stressful when you have a picky eater at home, don't you agree? Figuring out what kinds of food to cook and how to get them to eat is a daily headache. The power battles during meal times are driving you one step close to the grave too. Having little children that are picky eaters is not unusual. Many parents have the same headache. I've heard that children will grow out of this problem. I'm sure sitting around and waiting for it to end is not the solution you are looking for. So here are some suggestions for you:

1. Ask for their input when planning your meals and get them involved in the grocery shopping. If you give them the chance to write the dinner menu, you increase the likelihood that they will eat it.

2. Be careful of the snacks they eat before meals. If they have a snack close to meal time, it's likely they won't eat their meal. Watch the drinks too. Children's little stomachs can get full on juice and milk.

3. Avoid giving them too much at the first serving. Start with a small portions and if it's not enough, serve them seconds. This way you are setting them up to successfully finish their meal.

4. Let them be kitchen helpers when you are cooking. You'll be surprised to see them willingly chowing down the food just because they had a hand in making it. Let me share with you the story of my little girl, 7 years of age, who helped cut the broccoli and cauliflower for our dinner. And you know what? She actually ate them when she wouldn't have before.

5. Give them a choice of foods to eat. Make them feel the decision is in their hands. You should say "do you want pasta or sandwich", "fruit salad or vegetable salad" etc....

6. Prepare nutritional snacks. Fruits and vegetables are simply the best. Turn them into finger foods that the kids can enjoy such as fruit kebab.

7. Point out what other children eat, especially their friends. I'm sure you've learned that with children, other people's food always taste better. It doesn't matter if their friends are eating food that is alien to them, as long as their friends are eating it, they are more likely to try. It would seem like a good idea to get your children's friends together for a picnic sort of activity. Just remember to inform the parents that a contribution of healthy food is preferred.

8. Sometimes it's not the taste that is the problem but rather the texture of the food. You should come up with alternative ways to prepare the food such as grinding it up in a blender or food processor.

9. Labeling them as a picker eater can be detrimental. If they hear you say it all the time, they may just accept that to be who they are.

10. Don't prepare separate meals just for them. You are encouraged to offer them a choice but not food that is different from the other family members. If you do this, you will just defeat the purpose of getting them to eat more types of food.

Dealing with picky eaters requires much patience. It may prove to be a difficult challenge but you must strive to keep meal times a happy time. List down rules and adhere to it. Another arsenal to put in your bag is to arm yourself with a variety of easy recipes for picky eaters. Mixing creativity into your cooking can only bring about good things.