For the first four years of my daughter’s life, she was happy to eat a variety of colorful vegetables and other growing foods. When she began to be exposed to a broader diversity of people and situations, her eating habits began to change. She no longer wanted to eat the variety of nutrient-dense foods, as the allure of highly processed, sugar-laden items was more enticing and addictive. She slowly but steadily began rejecting many of the wonderful foods she had eaten for years and yearned to eat what others packed in their lunches. This scenario is not exclusive to me. Many of you have shared a similar story and I feel for you because I have obviously been there. Since I don’t believe in forcing children, or anyone, to eat a certain quantity or type of food, I got creative and began hiding food in the things that they would eat. I love this method and find that it works really well and I have used other strategies to get my kid to eat well. For starters, I stopped calling her a picky eater because I didn’t want her to see herself as one. I continued to model the message and eat a variety of food, expressing my joy and gratitude as I ate. I also made mealtimes fun by allowing her to set the table in any theme she desired, doing some of the cooking herself or making decorative face plates out of a selection of vegetables that she got to choose. I also randomly put out healthy platters of food which is what is available between meals if the family got hungry. I also have been known to cut food into small bites, as food such as broccoli might be consumed if a huge piece isn’t laid out. Bottom line is that there are many solutions to the “picky eater” problem and they don’t have to be painful.
THIS JUST IN!!! My first book has been published. It offers survival strategies for parents with picky eaters. I know you will love and please help me become more searchable by leaving a review?
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