Finicky Kids: Tempting The Fussy Eater

If you are a parent with a fussy eater, you will know how frustrating keeping your child nourished can prove. Bear in mind that although a finicky child is hard to manage, you need to take some responsibility for how you might be involved in this too. In any event, it is the role of the caregiver to encourage healthy eating and to at least try and tempt your child into eating healthy foods, rather than giving into their every whim.

Finicky eating can start as early as weaning days and can continue into childhood. The most common phase for finicky eaters tends to be the toddler years (from ages 1 through 3). 

What Is Finicky Eating? 

Finicky eaters can be divided into three categories: those who are unwilling to try new foods, those who only eat a limited range of foods, and those with a poor appetite. Here's an overview of the types of finicky eating, along with possible solutions. 

Spitting. Children, and especially toddlers, might spit out food as they try it. This is not always due to them not liking the food but could be caused by the motion of the tongue as it adapts. This problem just takes some patience and time.

Food refusal. Food refusal is quite natural actually and repeated exposure to new foods increases the chances that the food will be accepted.

Food jags. As children develop and become more interested in the world around them, they might become disinterested in food. Food jags are characterized by a refusal of previously accepted foods or asking for one particular food at each meal. They can also arise as a way of asserting newly found independence. It is important to understand that this period is developmental and temporary.

Boredom. Children can easily become bored with food, especially if they are offered the same thing over and over. Your cooking and food preparation methods might also need to be overlooked. Sometimes, the atmosphere around meal times can also lead to boredom so try keeping it fresh and interesting.

Food presentation issues. The way food is presented is often the cause of finicky eating. Most toddlers do not like foods that are touching each other on the plate or might not like certain colors or textures.

Sensory processing issues. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is quite a common reason for fussy eating and is frequently in special needs children. It can occur in almost any child, though. In SPD the bombardment of sensory input is perceived or interpreted incorrectly resulting in sensitivity and defensiveness towards the input. Children may have a sensory overload from certain tastes, textures or even temperatures.

See Also: Why French Kids Don't Develop ADHD

Some of the symptoms of oral defensiveness, which can effect eating, are an avoidance of certain food textures, tastes or flavors, and taking food off a fork or spoon while using the teeth and keeping lips retracted. Children may also gag when eating and can encounter difficulty in swallowing food without some liquid. 

Practical suggestions For Overcoming Finicky Eating

Small, gradual, changes are easier to accept than large or sudden changes, so go slowly with your fussy child. When changes in the sensory properties of food like taste, color, texture, smell, and temperature are made too quickly, many children will say “No”. Identify what your child likes and then first choose foods that are similar. For example, if your child likes the consistency of yogurt, they might also like mashed avocado, or breakfast fruit smoothies. Or if your child likes crunchy things like potato chips and pretzels, they might feel OK about eating carrots and cucumbers.

Here are some other practical suggestions to help make feeding a little easier: 

• Don’t give in to your child’s every whim. Gently coax and encourage healthy eating and keep introducing new foods. 

• Encourage involvement in the preparation of the meal as this appeals to a child’s sense of independence. 

• Encourage your child to feed him/herself. Cut food into small, easily handled pieces and teach your child to handle a spoon. 

• Serve buffet meals occasionally. Place foods on separate plates and allow your child to make choices. 

• Serve a variety of foods at each meal so that your toddler is exposed to a wide range of tastes and flavors. 

• Overcome boredom by moving some meals to the garden, or by going on a picnic. 

• Try taking the focus off food at a meal. For example, make meal times about family and enjoyment and then don’t nag your child to eat. By allowing the child to stay at the table, they will be more likely to start to eat, even if it’s at the end of the meal. 

• Make food more interesting by creating shapes such as faces, cars and trains out of meal ingredients. 

• Try including a variety of colors and textures in each meal to alleviate boredom. 

• Never force a child to eat and never use food as bribery. This can create psychological harm and disordered food behaviors. 

• Children learn from mimicry so set a good example by eating healthy yourself. 

• Encourage regular meal and snack times. Children respond well to routine. 

• Avoid distractions from television or toys during meal times. 

Tempting With Vegetables

There is no doubt that children should eat vegetables, but this food group is the one that is most often refused. It is important to not give up. There are many vegetables out there and also many ways of preparing and presenting them. Similar benefits can be obtained from eating fruits, so make sure your child is eating a variety of fresh fruits daily. Be aware though, because offering only fruits comes with its own problem of a child getting used to sweet tastes, which is often why they reject the more bitter taste of vegetables.

See Also: Raising Vegetarian Kids

Some other suggestions to temp or tempt your little veggie hater: 

• Try mixing cauliflower and broccoli with a cheesy sauce.
• Chop vegetables up very finely into stews and casseroles. If this is not accepted. Try pureeing the vegetables and adding them in as a sauce
• Mash vegetables like cauliflower, turnip, carrot or peas into mashed potatoes
• Try blended carrots, butternut or peas in soups. Add some apple or orange juice for sweetness.
• Blend vegetables in a tomato based sauce and serve with pasta.
• Mince or grate vegetables and add them to fish cakes or minced meat.
• Offer freshly squeezed juices. Carrot, carrot and apple and apple and celery are good combinations.