Top 5 ways to handle your picky eater

If you are fighting to feed your little one and getting stressed about it every day, you are most probably dealing with a picky eater. You only know one when you have one, it’s said. While it may seem like you are alone in the battle, a lot of parents go through this. Also, here is a little secret. Getting stressed about it will only worsen the situation. Now, here is the good news – there are several ways that have been proven to get children to eat and enjoy new food. While it may be difficult to reduce “pickies” in a week or a month, here are a few tips that should help your child develop a more positive attitude towards food and become more adventurous towards eating.

Try these 5 rules.

1. Introduce vegetables repeatedly to your veggie-hater baby:
   • When it comes to vegetables, even adults have their choices! And well, kids are just kids. Vegetables are a rich source of minerals and vitamins that promote healthy cell growth and strengthen the bones. They are also rich in fibres that help ease digestion and stabilise blood sugar. But, what if your child makes faces seeing vegetables? It basically means that he dislikes vegetables.
   • According to recent studies, it can take up to 15 attempts to get your baby to try any new food item. Experts recommend that mothers should repeatedly expose their babies to new foods without forcing them to eat. This will eventually help develop a taste for new foods. After all, food without vegetables lacks many important minerals and nutrients that are important for your baby’s growth.
2. Compartmentalise food items to avoid mess on your baby’s plate:

   Mothers often offer their babies foods like mashed potatoes or rice and pulses mixed together. However, babies might get upset after seeing this mess on their plates. Instead, get a plate that has different sections and fill each compartment with a different food item. This way, your child will be more encouraged to try the items, as he or she will get to see more variety.

3. Introduce fruits in different ways:
   • Do you find it difficult to include fruits in your baby’s diet? Don’t worry as it is a common problem with many babies. Now, as you already know, fruits are a rich source of many important nutrients. They are 100 percent cholesterol-free and are naturally sweet. So, mothers need to come up with creative ways to feed their babies fruits.
   • You can prepare various fruits delicacies like smoothies or custard, and decorate them with crushed nuts or top them with cherries. Preparing a mixed fruit salad is also a great idea, as it will be colourful and a blend of different tastes and textures.
4. Offer homemade food to your fast-food junkie:
   • If your little one loves eating junk food like burger and pizza, then this might take a toll on his health, as these are low in nutrition but very high in fat, sodium, and sugar. Moreover, these are often prepared in unhygienic conditions, and with poor-quality oil.

   For fussy eaters who love junk food, mothers can prepare many dishes like noodles, vegetable rolls, vegetable sandwiches, etc. at home. Any food prepared at home will be more nutritious and hygienic, after all. Remember, you as a mother, have to make your child love the food he eats!

5. Add ingredients of foods which your baby enjoys, to other food items:
   • Are you worried because your child only likes eating a certain kind of food and rejects any new food introduced to him? Instead of worrying, just find out why your child likes that particular food item, or which ingredient makes that food interesting for your child.
   • Once you find out that special element (which can be a vegetable or a spice), add that element to any new food you introduce to your child.

So, all it takes to deal with a fussy eater, is a bit of innovation and some understanding. By keeping the above-mentioned tricks in mind, you can introduce healthy foods to your child’s diet without getting into fights or tears!

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