First-time parents experience new lessons every day; some experiences are anticipated while others catch parents by surprise. We all try our hardest to develop the healthiest babies and kids possible but picky eating is very common in children. Parents may even remember their own experiences as children but this trait can really sneak up on parents. What can we do about feeding a picky eater for the first time?
Learning New Mealtime Strategies
There are lots of strategies that parents can use to manage picky eating habits.
1. Offer choices. Present a variety of foods on the table during mealtime and limit food choices to those items. Create a side dish or two to go with the main course.
2. Offer a mixture of food choices.Prepare a menu that combines liked foods with foods that haven’t yet been tried or that have been disliked in the past. Present them together and let kids try them.
3. Let children choose. Offering a mix of healthy choices but letting your kids choose from the healthy choices you put on the table, it will give them a sense of independence and autonomy.
4. Encourage polite behavior. Teaching children how to react to distasteful food is a valuable skill. For instance, coach a child on politely saying, “No, thank you,” to food rather than calling it yucky.
5. Present a specific number of options. Offer children a choice between carrot sticks and cucumber slices, for instance, instead of letting them name any snack.
6. Accept that children may not be hungry at mealtimes.Explain that it is OK not to be hungry when a meal is served but be clear about structured mealtimes and snack times.
Food for the Choosiest Eaters
Amara Organics are made with carefully sourced ingredients that are selected for quality and taste. The result is a nutritionally balanced meal that you can feel confident about sharing with a child. We know that busy moms are not always able to prepare food from scratch, so we offer the next best thing. We offer everything from your purees for your baby or adaptations for your older family members. We are sure you can find something to appeal to even the pickiest eater!
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