When it comes to eating many parents are faced with the dilemma of a child that is a picky eater. Many parents are concerned that their children are not receiving the proper nutrition for physical and mental development. Sometimes it is so frustrating that we find ourselves letting our children be in control when it comes to choosing food. Dr. Leann Birch, Professor and Head of the Human Development and Family Studies Department at Penn State University, states that “Children should be allowed to decide what and how much they eat, but it’s the parents’ responsibility to make healthy foods available to their children to choose from and eat.”
Try using some of these tips to help your child choose:
· Expose your child to healthy fruits and vegetable at an early age
· Continue to offer new foods and try to be patient
· Be a role model by showing your excitement and enjoyment trying new foods
· Keep healthy snacks available
· Prepare you foods in healthy ways and engage your children in the preparation
· Have some fun: do taste tests with vegetables dipped in a few different flavors; play a blindfold guessing game having your child describe the texture, flavor, etc; play “what can we make with this”; ask where do foods come from and how do they grow; plant container gardens and let the children pick a favorite seed pack, plant seeds, nurture plants and watch them grow…then EAT the result
· When grocery shopping, pick 3 similar foods and allow the child to pick their favorite to try
Remember, it is normal for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years to resist eating new foods, and they may have about four to five favorite foods that they readily accept. Learning that this is a natural part of children’s development can help you relax a bit about what your child chooses to eat or reject.
For more information visit this website: http://www.pbs.org/parents/food-and-fitness/eat-smart/win-over-picky-eaters/
Colleen Carman
Finance/HR Director
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