During stressful times, it can be especially important to maintain our healthy living habits of sleep,
exercise and healthy eating.
While managing a picky eater during this difficult time can seem like an overwhelming task best left
for a different day, this can be an ideal time to dig in and work on the behavioral task of feeding.
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Here are some helpful picky eater tips to support you along the way:
Maintain a Structure for Meals and Snacks
Try to keep a regular schedule for meals and snacks so that children know food is available at certain
times of the day. It is a good idea to offer 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks a day, remembering to limit drinks
and snacks before meals.
Timing is so important, so be sure to offer new foods when your children are hungry and rested.
A good plan is to offer only one new food at a time, pairing the new food with other familiar foods
on the plate to support overall success.
Keep Healthy Foods Readily Available
Organize your kitchen so that healthy snacks are readily available for children, and only have
available what you want them to eat. Keep fresh fruits and vegetables washed, cut, and packaged so
they are easily accessible.
Provide quick and healthy protein and complex carbohydrate option snacks for energy and
to sustain children between meals. Strive to teach children the difference between
healthy snacks and ‘sometimes treats’.
Make Food Fun!
Presentation is so important to children.
Use your creativity to present familiar foods in different shapes and arrange colorful foods on a plate
in a fun way. This helps children to try new and familiar foods prepared in different ways.
Mix things up by having a ‘salad bar’ or a ‘picnic’ at mealtime. Use fun plates, napkins or food
themes. To make a new food more appealing, you can give it a fun name, perhaps even using your
child’s favorite character. Make some healthy snacks together, create new recipes, or even try some
science experiments with food.
Teach Kids About Healthy Eating
Research shows that children are more likely to try foods that they helped to create. Children can take
part in preparing foods in simple ways. They can help with stirring, pouring, and adding cut
vegetables to favorite dishes. Using plastic kid chef knives is a perfect way to help kids get up close
and personal with their fruits and veggies.
Let your child engage with books, puzzles, and apps that are geared toward healthy eating. This is a
great time to get started with some indoor planter boxes, or to spend time planning for your summer
garden outdoors. Teach kids about eating healthy food for a healthy body and the importance of
having a rainbow on their plate – colorful fruits and vegetables with every meal.
Keep Trying!
Children are asserting their independence when refusing foods. Give them some sense of control by
allowing them to make some choices from the foods on their plate at mealtime.
It may take several attempts before your child tries and decides that he likes a new food.
Generally, the more it becomes familiar to him, the more likely he will be to try it. Presenting the new
food 1 or 2 times a week helps the food to become familiar yet is not too frequent for a child to lose
interest or become overwhelmed.
Patience and persistence are key with these picky eater tips. Make healthy eating a priority and stay
the course. Building a better eater has a huge payoff with lifelong benefits.
Here is a yummy, healthy snack to make at home with the kids:
4 Ingredient No-Bake Energy Bites
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup peanut butter or sun butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Mix everything together well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or freeze for 30 minutes).
2. Use about one heaping Tablespoon of the mixture to press/roll into a ball. Repeat the process with the rest of the mixture. This recipe will make about 16 energy bites.
3. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
All blog content shared through HealthSmart! Kids is for informational purposes only and not to be construed as medical advice. Always talk with your qualified health care provider for managing your health care needs.
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