Six Ways to Get a Picky Eater to Eat

How to Persuade a Picky Child to be a Better Eater

Jul 22, 2009

It can be a challenge to deal with a child who's a picky eater. Here's how to get a picky eater to eat his or her food without a hassle.

It can be a difficult dealing with a child who’s a picky eater. Some parents mistakenly believe when a child picks at his food or refuses to eat, he's in imminent danger of starvation or malnutrition. This is unlikely to be the case. Once a child is past the rapid growth stage of infancy, caloric needs are lower and it’s unlikely a child will suffer harm if he or she refuses to eat on occasion. The good news? There’s much that a parent can do to encourage a picky eater to eat. Here are some suggestions.

Limit Sugary Drinks and Snacks Before Meals

Kids have small stomachs and if they’re allowed to drink too much fluid, particularly sweet drinks, before meals, they’re less likely to be hungry when they finally sit down to a meal. Encourage the child to drink water between meals rather than fruit juices, soft drinks, or chocolate milk. Don’t allow a picky eater to snack freely during the day and don’t offer snacks within two hours of mealtime.

Avoid Overindulging the Picky Eater

Nothing encourages picky eating more than overindulgence. While it may be tempting to fix a special meal for a picky eater, this will only further reinforce the behavior. If a child refuses to eat a meal, don’t overreact. Sometimes children use not eating as a way to manipulate parents. A picky eater should be encouraged to remain at the table until a meal is over even if he doesn’t eat. The meal can always be wrapped and saved for later. Even a picky eater will eat when he becomes hungry enough.

Avoid Using Punishment

Punishment or anger should never be used to get a picky eater to eat a meal. This will only create fear and a greater aversion to eating. Keep mealtimes as pleasant as possible without forcing the child to clean his plate. Forcing a child to eat can have long lasting negative repercussions.

Give the Picky Eater Some Choices

Children love to make decisions, so why not involve them in the meal planning process? A child who’s given healthy choices and allowed to choose among them will be more likely to clean his plate than one who’s forced to eat what’s placed before him. This is also a good way to teach a child the basics of making the right food choices.

Children are more likely to eat if they’re given meals on a regular schedule. Establish a set dinner time and stick with it as much as possible. Having meals at all hours of the day can be confusing to a child and may reduce appetite, particularly if a child is snacking between meals.

Is Food Variety Important?

No one wants to eat the same foods every day, but children may be intimidated by new foods. Experiment by adding new foods in small quantities rather than introducing a picky eater to a whole new cuisine at a single meal. Try combining new foods with some old favorites instead.

Could It Be a Health Issue?

If a child consistently picks at food and refuses to eat, it’s important to rule out an underlying medical problem that could be causing loss of appetite. This may be a good time to seek medical guidance.

The Bottom Line?

Dealing with a child who's a picky eater can be a parenting challenge, but establishing parameters, avoiding the use of punishment, and encouraging participation in food selection can turn a child who's picky into a healthy one.

The copyright of the article Six Ways to Get a Picky Eater to Eat in Kids Cooking is owned by Kristie Leong. Permission to republish Six Ways to Get a Picky Eater to Eat in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.