Do you know any picky eaters? I do. While many times picky eaters start having problem during childhood, it can start during adulthood. For example, I know of a person who usually likes to eat a spoonful of peanut butter before bedtime to keep his blood sugar even and help him sleep better. When he got COVID, he took a spoonful and it tasted like clay, since his sense of taste was altered from having the illness. He can eat peanut butter now, but he still has some texture issues that he did not have before. This has created a new picky eater in the world.

Tips for dealing with picky eaters are to avoid pressure, focus on positive routine-based mealtimes, and offer a variety of nutritious food at regular intervals.

Tip 1: Avoid Pressure

It is best not to pressure or scold a person to eat because that can make that person resist eating even more. In severe cases, it can even cause disordered eating.

• Do not use food as a reward. Bribes can send a message that some foods are more valuable than others.
• It’s best not to make a separate meal for a picky eater because it can reinforce their picky behavior.
• Do not give in. If a child refuses a meal, resist the urge to offer a snack. Let the person know when the next meal or snack is and then stick to it.
• Do not force a child, the elderly, or anyone else to eat.

There are better ways than pressure to encourage a picky eater to eat.

Tip 2: Focus on Positive Routine-based Mealtimes

A positive way to encourage a picky eater to eat is to establish an eating routine. Offer meals and healthy snacks at regular, consistent times every day. As the picky eater sees eating as a positive thing, they will get into the habit of regularly eating nutritious food. Make it your routine to…

• eat together. This lets you model good eating habits for the children and the other picky eaters in your life.
• keep mealtimes enjoyable by talking about nonfood topics and minimizing distractions like TVs, phones, and tablets.
• encourage new foods through repeated exposure to the item. It can take many attempts for a person to acquire a taste for a new food.

Having good food with people we love to talk to can help a picky eater to take their mind off the tricky task of eating.

Tip 3: Offer a Variety of Nutritious Foods at Regular Intervals

This is where mealtimes become fun! Plan your meals and snacks to offer a variety of nutritious foods that have different tastes and textures at each eating time.

• Involve children or other picky eaters in meal planning and doing simple cooking tasks. This will help increase their interest in food and give them pride in preparing something the family will enjoy eating.
• Prepare one meal for the whole family. Make sure that it is appropriate for the child’s size and texture needs. Of course, it’s important to allow for allergies or food sensitivities. Occasionally accommodate for true dislikes for different family members or guests.
• Remember to give a small portion of a variety of different foods on the person’s plate according to their needs. You can always provide more of something, if they want more.
• Arrange the food creatively on their plate. Let children play with their food in a guided way or try using some kind of game to make trying new foods more appealing.

Some input goes a long way in helping a picky eater to enjoy the food put before them.

Action Step

Try out some of the above tips for dealing with picky eaters.  Remember to avoid pressure, focus on positive routine-based mealtimes, and offer a variety of nutritious food at regular intervals.

May God bless you on your wellness journey!

Joni

P.S. What experience do you have with dealing with picky eaters? What have you done to help them?