Picky Eaters: Top Tips for Parents (& Mistakes to Avoid)

Do

• Eat on a schedule. Offer meals and snacks at least 2 hours apart but no more than 4 hours. Limit mealtimes to 30 minutes or less.
• Keep snacks small. Limit snacks to 100 calories for children under 10. Some low-calorie options include string cheese, fruit, yogurt or nuts.
• Keep exposing your child to different foods. It can take up to 15 – 20 tries of a food before you decide if you like it. So keep putting the broccoli on your child’s plate, even if they won’t touch it.
• Slowly transition from separate meals to family meals. Put at least one component from the family meal on your child’s plate, along with a “safe” food you know they will eat.
• Plan and cook meals together. Include them in grocery shopping and meal prep. A child may be more willing to try something they helped with.
• Try positive reinforcement. Use sticker charts to track their progress and allow them to earn rewards along the way, like extra screen time or a trip to the playground.
• Offer options to give kids a sense of control. By giving your child a choice between 2 or 3 healthy options at snack time, you can empower them to make good choices about food.

Don’t

• Push too hard. Forcing or threatening your child can backfire by creating negative food associations and making them dig in their heels.
• Let kids graze. Some children prefer to nibble throughout the day. These kids end up taking in fewer calories and are less likely to be hungry at mealtimes.
• Overload on fluids. If your child drinks too much water, milk or juice between meals it may decrease their appetite.
• Serve too much food. Seeing a large amount of food on their plate could be overwhelming for your child, so stick with smaller portion sizes for your picky eater.