Picky eating can present a difficult parenting challenge.
Cutting the crust off the bread, leaving the sauce off of the chicken and avoiding the use of spice in our family’s meals are just some of my own bad habits that keep mealtime peace. Parents can contribute to picky eating habits or we can prevent them.
Developmentally, kids go through different stages that lend themselves to developing these habits. For example, toddlers have a developing sense of self and a desire for control. School age kids take cues from peers. Teenagers can turn to or away from food for emotional reasons. Each of these behavioral stages can be normal. However, getting stuck in a rigid behavior or desire can lead to habits that are hard to change. This could lead to nutrition and weight problems.
Parents play an important role in working through these different stages. We have the power to steer our kids in a different direction despite these somewhat normal phases. These are five of the things that you can do as a parent to prevent picky eating habits for your child.
Breastfeed to prevent picky eating
Breastfeeding is a great way to prevent picky eating later in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age and continued breastfeeding until at least 12 months of age with the introduction of complementary foods. Through breast milk, babies are exposed to different flavors. As long as mom is eating a variety of foods, baby will experience the different tastes of foods. Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months and introducing complementary foods after that time leads to decreased odds of picky eating during early childhood.
Breastfeeding also contributes to a baby’s ability to learn what it feels like to be full. Babies are able to regulate their intake of milk at the breast. This leads to an understanding of the sensation of “full” vs “hungry.” Breastfeeding is an active process that gives the baby control over their own intake. Understanding hunger cues and self regulation helps children to steer away from picky eating as they age.
Parental picky eating: Lead by example
Picky eating habits can persist into adulthood too. Many parents are guilty of poor eating habits. Your child is much less likely to try something on their plate if they don’t see at least one parent eating it. Healthy meal preparation is the cornerstone of good eating habits for the family. Parental leadership in preparing and consuming a variety of high quality foods will set the tone for their children’s eating habits.
An often rejected food category among picky eaters is fruits and vegetables. These nutrient dense foods contribute fiber, vitamins and other important nutrients to a child’s diet. As parents, we can set the tone for good habits. Reaching for an apple instead of a bag of chips or carrots and hummus instead of a processed snack will help your child see that healthy eating is for everyone in the family.
Compromise on a few things to prevent picky eating habits
Preventing and correcting picky eating happens over time. Compromising on a few things and sticking to an overall healthy plan leads to something that everyone in the family can stick with. Are you going to win everyday? No. There are many days where even families who are lead by a pediatrician fail to eat completely healthy. It is important to have a balanced view of food and eating. Many days, my daughter will choose an apple for a snack. Other days, she wants goldfish crackers. Forming an overall healthy eating plan and eating habits is the goal.
Another important compromise is to avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad”. Instead, talk about foods that are okay in limited quantities and why. It is okay to include treats and sweets as a part of a healthy eating plan. It can help prevent them from becoming a “forbidden fruit” and therefore binge worthy when they are consumed. The CDC website has some great tips for an overall healthy eating plan for families.
Even picky eaters can try a bite
At our house, we often discuss “trying a bite” of a new food before deciding if we like it or not. It’s okay if your child doesn’t like every single food that you set before them. Most adults do not like every single food that ends up on their plate. However, it is important to have your child try new things. Sometimes, it is as simple as stating, “I would like for you to try this.”
This technique could look like different things to different families. Smelling the food, tasting the food or even just describing the food could fit into the category of trying something new. Most experts do not advise forcing a child to eat something or making it a “this” for “that” compromise. Setting expectations for family mealtimes will eventually lead to fewer food battles.
Offer a variety: Leave it up to kid to try
Finally, there are certain things that we as parents have little to no control over. Most of those things fit into the category of “what goes in” and “what comes out.” We have limited control over what our child eats and what their bathroom habits are. Your job as a parent is to offer a variety of foods and their job is to decide what to eat and how much. Habits are behaviors that are formed over time. Parenting involves shaping our kids’ habits to improve their overall life and health.
Often, parents get into the cycle of trying to just get their kid to eat something. This can mean changing course and making a different meal for each child and each adult in the family. Offering a variety of food options does not translate into becoming a short order cook for your family. Meals are prepared and shared together as a family. Everyone has the same options and your kids can choose to eat what is put on their plates or they can decide to not eat it.
Healthy eating habits are an important developmental milestone of childhood. Parenting techniques and personal eating habits can shape how our kids relate to food. These five tips are just the beginning of developing a lifetime of good habits.
Dr. Andrea Wadley is the owner and pediatrician/lactation consultant for 127 Pediatrics. We are a direct primary care home visit pediatric practice based in Colleyville, TX
This article is not meant to be specific medical advice. It is for informational purposes only.
© 127 Pediatrics, all rights reserved, September 2020.
