5 Tips for Navigating Picky Eating to Raise Intuitive Eaters

Picky eating is extremely difficult and frustrating to deal with for both parents and children involved. Research has shown that picky eating may lead to childhood diseases, failure to thrive, and disordered eating. It is very important to raise your child to approach eating in an intuitive way so they develop a healthy relationship with food and picky eating is squashed.

Here are my 5 tips for navigating picky eating in order to raise a more intuitive eater: 

1. Give your child independence over mealtime! Part of intuitive eating is learning to honor your hunger, and the same goes for your child during mealtime. The general responsibility of the parents during mealtime is to determine what the kids eat, where they eat, and when they eat, while the responsibility of the kids is to decide if they eat and how much. This choice not only allows the child to have independence over what they put in their body, but also gives them the ability to learn about their hunger and fullness. This method may seem counterproductive for picky eaters; however, in reality if the child has the ability to choose what and how much they eat, then their comfort level and willingness to expand their taste buds during mealtime will increase.
2. Encourage your child to play with their food! You heard me right! Playing with your food as a child is actually a good thing! This activity allows children to grow more comfortable and familiar with new foods so they feel more comfortable trying them. 
3. Cook with your child! Preparing food is very important to improving a child’s relationship with food. If the child is able to see how their meal is made and take part in its creation, then they may have a better sense of pride surrounding the meal and feel more inclined to try the food they prepared. 
4. Try fun utensils and plates! An Elsa plate or a Lightning McQueen cup (or whatever your child loves) will make mealtime more fun and special. Familiar characters add an element of excitement and offer comfort while a child is trying new foods. The special kid plates often come with divided sections which help picky eaters feel more comfortable during meal time as foods will be separated.
5. Be patient! I’m not going to lie, raising an intuitive eater is a long and difficult journey with plenty of trials and tribulations, but in the end it is a rewarding journey and your child will be healthier and happier because of your hard work. Remember that you are both learning and to empathize as you go along. Everything will not go perfectly, but each success contributes to the growth of your child. 

Blog contribution by Kayla Abella, Dietetic Intern.

Review and Edited by Marissa Kai Miluk, MS, RDN, LD and Kaitlyn Allen MS, MEd, MS, RD.