There’s nothing more frustrating than spending time on making a meal that your kids won’t eat. Yes, it’s discouraging that your slaving away in the kitchen goes unappreciated, but as a parent it’s even more disheartening that your child is missing out on their nutrition. If you are a parent of young children, you most likely start to notice your picky eater emerging around 2 years old. At this stage, your kids are slowing down on the growth scale so they just don’t need to consume as much. They are also learning to talk more, and have no problem telling you “no.”
Rest assured, a picky eater phase is completely normal! Even better, it’s not necessarily permanent. As their little personality is making it’s debut, kids start to realize there is very little they can control. Eating is one of those things and they will use it to their advantage, even if it means missing out on some meals. But there’s good news! There are some things that you can do to ease their anti-food campaign and we’ve listed those right here. Read on and get your kids back to eating!
1. Give Choices
As mentioned above, kids want to have control. Placing food in front of them that they had no say in deciding may be a huge source of their refusal to eat. This doesn’t mean sending them to the pantry and letting them pick whatever the want! Pick 2 or 3 items and ask what they prefer. “Do you want eggs or yogurt,” or “Carrots or green beans?” Don’t list an item that you don’t approve of, or that doesn’t go with your meal, such as “mac n’cheese or fruit?” You most likely know what your child would pick given the choice, so ask wisely!