By Melissa Perlee MS, OTR/L
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I work with many families to address picky eating. While it’s entirely normal for children to have food preferences and in fact common for toddlers to go through a picky eating phase from 18 months to 3 years of age, persistent and pervasive picky eating can become an issue that eventually needs to be addressed. If you’re raising a child who is particularly selective about food, here are some tips to foster healthy eating habits.
Avoid Grazing – Eat on a Schedule
With school, work, extracurriculars, homework, and more to juggle, it can be hard for families to make time to sit down and eat. While there’s no harm in feeding children snacks throughout the day occasionally, research shows that grazing dampens appetite and decreases overall daily intake. Therefore, do your best to feed your child on a three-meal, two-snack per day schedule. Allowing kids to experience hunger and satiety sets them up for success because they’re coming to the table ready to eat.
Eat Together
Children learn to eat by watching others eat. While eating with friends at daycare or school can help, watching caregivers eating new and exciting foods – and modeling enjoyment of those foods – is the best way to show your child that it’s safe to veer out of their comfort zone. Talk about the flavors and textures of the foods and how the food helps the body grow. Don’t worry about how much your child eats from his or her plate. Focus on making the mealtime a positive and social experience.
Exposure to Variety
It can be tempting to stick to foods your child likes and avoid foods they have rejected. After all, watching them grimace, throw, and make disparaging comments can be discouraging. Additionally, it can be frustrating to throw away uneaten food. However, research shows that children need to be exposed to new foods repeatedly to accept it. Further, they often need to taste a food 14-20 times to like it! Therefore, the best you can do when your child refuses a food or tells you he/she hates it is to stay calm, avoid pressuring them, and then offer it at a later time – again…and again…and again.
Avoid Pressure Tactics
Watching your child reject a food you made with love and consideration can be difficult. Particularly when you know that if they just tried it, they would like it! However, research shows that mealtime pressure (even in the form of praise) creates stress and dampens appetite. Instead, focus on feeding your child on a schedule, exposing them to variety, and keeping mealtimes peaceful and pressure free.
Picky eating in toddlers is a common developmental phase that often passes with time. However, if your toddler’s picky eating persists or is affecting their nutrition and growth, it may be helpful to consult with a pediatric occupational therapist for further guidance. Every child is unique, and with the right support, most picky eaters can become more adventurous and comfortable with food.
