How To Handle a Picky Eater

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Getting fussy children to eat nutritious food takes a little bit of psychology on your part. And a lot of patience!

To complete this How-To you will need:

Analysis of their food preferences
Creativity
Perseverance

Step 1: Respect their fears

Don't be too hard on a child who avoids trying new foods. Researchers have discovered that some children are genetically predisposed to food neophobia, or the fear of unfamiliar food.

Step 2: Analyze their preferences

Think about the foods your child will and won't eat and look for patterns. There may be a texture that your child doesn't like, but if the same food is prepared a different way, they may enjoy them (or at least eat them).

Tip: Many kids who won't eat cooked carrots will gobble them up raw.

Step 3: Bring home new foods

Keep introducing new foods. A child who turns up their nose at vegetables may not necessarily be a picky eater; they may just hate the veggies you're accustomed to serving.

Tip: Involve your child in picking out an exotic fruit or vegetable "of the week" and they'll be more likely to try it.

Step 4: Be creative

Be creative about how you serve foods. Studies show kids are more likely to eat stuff they can dip and scoop.

Tip: Have your children help prepare food; it will increase their interest in eating it.

Step 5: Don't bribe them

Don't reward children for eating a food they don't like with one they do like. Bribing them this way reinforces the idea of one food as "bad" and one food as "good," which only serves to make them dislike the "bad" food even more.

Step 6: Eat your veggies

Eat your food -- with gusto! Children take their cues from you; if you act like broccoli is something to be enjoyed, not endured, they'll be more likely to feel that way, too.

Step 7: Don't give up

Make it a rule that your child has to take at least one bite of whatever you prepare, even if it is something they hate. Research shows it can take as many as 10 exposures to acquire a taste for a food.

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[xmisscouture]

That kid is actually a good actress :)

[egarcia513]

I LIKE CARROTS RAW NOT COOKED.

[PlastikHaifisch]

Is there a video on how to COPE with BEING a picky eater? That would be so useful - I'm 13 and extremely picky. I think that adults believe we're doing it on purpose, when actually I absolutely HATE being a picky eater. I hate having to force down vegetables every night. :(

[EclipseHedgehog]

im 20 and still a picky eater. i force myslef sometimes to eat other foods and starting today im going to eat more fruits and vegetables. but whenever i smell my food first like tomato sauce for example, i get this lump in my throat that makes me want to hurl. thats primarily the reason why im picky in the first place, I hate that feeling. but they always taste different from what they smell. even when i plug my nose and force it down my throat the lump is still there.

[peaceluvr26]

Me: Uh Dad...Mom is staring at me with binoculars again..

Dad: Just eat your dinner...

Me: -3- Thankss...

[Iloverrb]

omg i gotta tell my mom to stop giving me cooked carrots..nasty *twitch*...but she never listens anyways...TTiTT

[koshatnik]

Why do children hate broccoli so much? I loved broccoli ever since I was little, and I'm 13 right now and I still love it. But you can still call me a picky eater - I won't eat fast food no matter what, I'm vegan, and I won't eat unhealthy food no matter what.

[mycrazycatXD]

Im nit a picky eater i ate caviar at 5 years old

[dollybaby144]

im a pickey eater, all i eat is Chicken, french fries, fish and chips,ice cream,cookies, spaghetti, oranges,apples,hash browns,sometimes depends on how well cooked eggs, and i dont have a fear of foods i just dont like the smell,the texter,feel of it stuff like that :) like if your a pickey eater

[hacker2039]

Did you know children are less picky when you give them completely RAW meat?

[byronlee991017]

i used to hate soda, and now i like it

[GamePlayer213P]

I bet kids eat carrots raw because of bugs bunny... That's how it was for me