Do you have a picky eater at your house? 

You are not alone.  Read on to learn tips on how to help your child eat healthy foods.

My child is so picky! He won’t eat anything! 

Many parents worry about their child’s nutrition, and it is especially common for young children to be ‘picky’ about the foods they eat. Often, youngsters like to assert their independence around food choices. They say ‘No!’ because they can. Instead of getting involved in a battle of wills with your child, try these strategies:

• Sit down at the table to eat meals every day with your child. Make it a pleasant time to socialize with him.
• Be a good role model. Kids watch what their parents eat. They need to see you eat vegetables if you expect them to.
• Don’t give up. Many exposures are required before a child may finally try something. As adults, we often ‘give up’ on something after 2 or 3 tries. For example, “Brandon hated broccoli the last two times I gave it to him. I am NOT trying that again.” In fact, kids need to see an item in front of them 10 to 15 times before they might try it. Keep offering healthy foods.
• Don’t fall into the ‘cookie trap.’ Maybe your child refuses most of his dinner. You worry that he is not eating enough — and scour the cupboards for something for him to eat. Ah — the cookies on the top shelf. Your toddler points to them and quickly gobbles three down. The lesson your child learns from this pattern is if he waits and refuses the first few things offered, the later items will be ‘better.’ You may need to stop having certain ‘treat’ items in your house for a time period, as children are quite good at finding them even if they are ‘hidden’ in a secret spot.

The other tip to remember is regarding portion size.  A tablespoon per year of age is a rough estimate of portion size.  For example, serve your 2 year old 2 tablespoons of a fruit or vegetable.  If she wants more, that is great!  If not, try again another time.  Check out this website for more information: 

http://www.extension.org/pages/Right_Sized_Portions_for_Preschool-Age_Children

Here is another great website that includes interactive tools to learn more about specific nutrition information for your child: 

http://www.mypyramid.gov/preschoolers

As we are seeing signs of spring here in southwest Michigan, remember that we are fortunate to have many locally grown fruits and vegetables readily available through the warmer months.  Take your child to a farmer’s market or a roadside stand – let them chose the vegetable for dinner tonight! 

Melissa Reffitt, CPNP
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
ProMed Pediatrics

Additional Reference: 

Cathey, M., and Gaylord, N.  (2004).  Picky Eating:  A Toddler’s Approach to Mealtime.  Pediatric Nursing, 30(2), pp. 101-109.