Picky Eaters {Top 3 things overwhelming moms in the kitchen… and what to do about them}
Top three things overwhelming moms in the kitchen… and what to do about them (Part 2)
PICKY EATERS
Why is my kid so picky?
Is not wanting to eat “normal”?
Certainly this can’t be healthy....
Unt-uh.
No.
More snacks, mom.
I DON’T WANT THAT!
So, what to do about picky eaters?
My advice: Set the Lead. Early and Often.
Make exploration of all the natural world has to offer an adventure. We want to embrace food -- of all colors, flavors, cuisines, in our everyday lives, not live a beige, bland existence of “kid food.”
A “reminder” from Dr. Holly: What’s the number one priority for your family RIGHT NOW? If you are like most families, you are worried about your immediate health -- but let’s not lose sight of the fact that the little decisions we make every day impact our health for a lifetime. Remember, what you focus on... gets attention. What you avoid… gets neglected. For the past several months, you’ve likely felt scared, worried, fearful for the immediate danger of a certain infectious disease. ALSO: There are a few diagnosable conditions that may lead your child to be a picky eater, so consult with your healthcare provider. This blog is informational only. If routines keep your family health and sane for now, know that your decision is enough!
Have you asked yourself what you can do proactively for your family’s health?
Here are 4 ways you can overcome picky eaters and turn the tide of unhealthy habits around food for the next generation…
Embrace Food from a Young Age
Eating a whole-food based lifestyle for our kids is just what our kids are used to, because that is their normal. In other words, we started this way when they were young because that’s just how we ate. Yes, as holistic healthcare providers, we had a wealth of nutrition knowledge - but it didn’t sink in until we #1 applied it to ourselves and our lives and #2 when we had kids -- and we saw how the world is out to get them (when it comes to derailing healthy choices).
So how do you start early? If possible, mom is eating a variety of foods when she is pregnant (hey, I know eating anything is a challenge in those early days, or if you are like me -- all 41 weeks). Continue to vary your palate and cuisine throughout breastfeeding as well. Then, start on whole, soft foods -- such as bananas, avocado and sweet potato, when it is age-appropriate.
When is that? The old rule I go by is “Food Before One is Just for Fun” -- meaning, I don’t advise pressuring babies to consume food for calories before their first birthday. Primary nutrition comes from breastfeeding or formula at this point. I also am not a fan of cereal (grain) based supplementation -- there is research to suggest this negatively impacts a child’s risk for obesity or diabetes later in life (or at least, altering their carb consuming and cravings).
Look into Baby Led Weaning for more resources on letting kids explore foods when they become interested. This approach skips the pureed “baby food” stage because breastmilk or formula is still primary nutrition, and baby explores natural foods (safely) to adapt to textures and flavors of foods while gaining dexterity and ability to chew. Bonus -- use cool foods to soothe teething!
Disclaimer: caution for age-appropriateness, food safety and choking prevention, by reading this blog I am not providing medical advice, only educational content.
Incorporate Kids in the Kitchen
If you’ve followed us for ANY time at all --- you probably know about Chef Tristan and Chef Noah’s cooking videos. STEAL THIS IDEA! Seriously, when I started making videos about 4 years ago -- in the comfort of my dated 1970s kitchen about little tips for eating healthy (way back when we did group nutrition detoxes)... our then 3 year old picked up on the idea and wanted to get in on the action. We already had him helping out here and there -- but we offered him the spotlight and he ran with it!
Shopping: Let your kiddos pick out their fruits & veggies at the grocery store. Turn it into a game -- find all the colors of the rainbow, do some math, make some crazy combos! Visit a Farmer’s Market and give them some cash to spend -- try something they’ve never seen before!
Food Prep: Have the kids do the produce washing, even if it is something that doesn’t necessarily need to be washed. Start early with kid-safe knives and soft foods they they can explore. Avocado, Banana, Mushrooms. Even if something doesn’t “need” to be cut up or peeled, make sure they know their job is important in the process of making the family meal
Freedom of Options: Kids love to make decisions. Give them options! Toppings, sauces, dips, seasonings -- they will feel empowered to know they have a choice in the matter. I’m not talking like “hey, do you want goldfish or carrots?” well, most kids will pick the fake food. Take the lead -- do you want ranch or hummus with your carrots? Or celery or apples with your peanut butter? Do you want dill or garlic on your popcorn?
Avoid Discouraging Language
Vegetable is not a bad word. Do I need to say it again? I’ll never forget when I visited my son’s preschool to read to the kids the book “Growing Vegetable Soup” and I brought some adorable soft toy fruits & veggies for a game. Every single time I said the word vegetable, a little girl in the front row yelled “EWWWW…” I read to 10 classes that day. She was the only one to behave like that, and it annoyed me SO much. Why? An adult had to teach her that. Vegetables are not inherently gross.
It’s not a diet. Let’s not turn a natural process like eating real food into a “four letter word.” Healthy eating (unfortunately) is a lifestyle choice. It is not the norm in America -- sadly. The “standard” is to fall prey to big marketers and processed food makers -- teaching your kids that food comes from their boxes, it is brightly colored, over-sugared and blasted with their favorite characters.
Family meal time is for the whole family. Find nutritious meals that the whole family can enjoy. It is not fair to mom to become a short order cook -- catering to everyone’s demands. Yes, kids will have their preferences, but in our house, everyone gets the same exact meal and is expected to at least try it. Also, if kids are always served “kid food” like nuggets and mac-n-cheese when do we expect them to suddenly flip the switch -- and want to eat something else? They need to see adults eating the same things they are (so let’s make good choices all around!).
While we’re at it: let’s move away from punishment and reward systems that are food-based. I have strong thoughts on this in school-age kids, but we will save that conversation for later.
Listen to Their Bodies
Make bodily functions a part of your family’s normal conversations...well maybe not just farts and burps… but encourage the language that we “listen to our bodies.” If your kiddo says they are full, honor that. If your intuition tells you they can’t possibly be full -- challenge them to find other ways to tell you “no” -- are they really full, or do they not prefer the flavor? Would they like it cooler or warmer? Explain to them why we eat certain foods, and what they do for our health. We often talk about pee-pee color and hydration, eating fiber foods to make our bodies go.
OK! Whew, that was a LOT! If you’d love to listen to this in video format -- hop on over to EverydayWellnessAtHome.com and check out the Virtual Summit hosted by Dr. Holly. I go through these Top 3 Overwhelms in my presentation.
If you are interested in Simple Daily Nutrition and the Rule of 5 to Meal Planning, I suggest you hop on our next 5-Day Wellness Challenge!
p.s. At the end of this 3-part series I have a little nugget of information for you… check out the other blogs below
Dr. Holly here -- I’m currently listening to the book Kid Food by Bettina Elias Siegel on Audible (also on Amazon) -- if I had written a book, this would be IT! So much valuable (and only slightly enraging) info here on the history of kid’s menus, marketing ploys to overwhelmed parents and the ins & outs of the big food industry. I’m only a few chapters in… but it is shaping and improving the way I help families everyday.
