Top tips for picky eaters
Connie
“Creativity will take you so far sometimes, and it didn't always get us all the way to 'eat all your veggies' success. So we also incorporated the 'No, Thank You bite rule.”
I love this question because it seems to be a timeless issue regardless of what type of home a child is brought up in, be it filled with dietary requirements such as gluten-free, dairy-free, allergen prone, vegan, vegetarian, paleo or the standard "eat-anything" environment.
When our first child was little, she wasn't too excited about certain foods, especially fruits and veggies, that had unique textures or bold flavors (except for tabasco sauce). But she had a vivid imagination. This was before Food Network, the internet and Foodie Bloggers had opened people's eyes to cuisines and food choices — and how to prepare food creatively and use variety.
My husband, I, and our daughter would think about a food she had decided was a "no,” and we'd all try to think of what that food looked like, or who ate it, or some kind of fun story about it. Quickly, broccoli pieces became trees. Cauliflower heads were referred to as clouds. Mushroom caps with stems were little umbrellas for tiny frogs. We learned to be creative.
Creativity will take you so far sometimes, and it didn't always get us all the way to "eat all your veggies" success. So we also incorporated the "No, Thank You" bite rule. This meant that one bite was required to at least try the offending food. Then the "No, Thank You" bite rule could be put into play, so to speak. This way, our little one was not learning to hate foods simply because they were forced and a thing of contention, and gradual introductions eventually allowed her to know she could explore without fear of being overwhelmed. She is now 28 and a lover of all types of foods and cuisines.
An extra perk to introducing her to this way of eating a variety of foods, when our son came along five years later, she had thoroughly embraced this creative game, so she did most of the role modeling for him. Win-Win!