Understanding Fussy Eating: Why Kids Are Picky and How to Overcome It

Introduction

A balanced diet is a mix of necessary nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fats. It can help a child stay physically and mentally strong. As per the CDC, a nutritious diet may positively impact a child's brain development, mood, immunity, and focus in the classroom. However, it's also important to note that sometimes feeding nutritious food to your child can be a challenge.

This is because, as babies turn into toddlers, you might see a gradual shift in their eating preferences. Some kids may not enjoy eating fruits and vegetables as much as others. Not getting the food of choice may lead to frustrations and anger among fussy eaters. During this time, you can extend support to your fussy-eater child by acknowledging their feelings. You think of alternative solutions to feed your child nutritious food, instead of shouting at them or forcing them to eat food items they are not accepting.

Why Kids Can Be Picky Eaters

Before diving deep into how you can overcome the challenge of feeding a nutritious diet to your fussy-eater baby, it is critical to understand why this happens and what a fussy eater is. A fussy eater can be someone who is very selective about the type of food that they eat. Some of the common reasons why your child can be a fussy eater may include-

Sensory Sensitivity

In some cases, your child may have a natural aversion towards certain types of smells, textures, and the look of particular types of fruits, vegetables, or grains. Consumption of such food items can lead to bowel problems and nausea among these kids.

Apprehensions Towards Trying New Food

This can be a common problem among kids who have just started trying new types of food items and dishes. Due to a lack of awareness, your kid may feel a certain fear in trying fruits and vegetables with distinct textures and flavors.

Past Negative Experiences

Having experience of not liking a dish with a particular ingredient may form a strong perception in your child's mind. Because of that negative experience, your child may have an internal fear of trying the same dish or ingredient again.

Borrowed Perception

Friends and peers can have a strong influence on your child's eating preferences. In a lot of cases, your child might avoid eating a particular dish or vegetable because of their friends’ negative reviews about the same.

How to Tackle Fussy Eaters

Now that you know about some common reasons why your child can be a picky eater, it is time to get into how you can prepare a balanced diet for fussy eaters and overcome this problem. For instance, Bournvita, as a nutrition drink, is enriched with the goodness of multiple like Vitamin D, Iron & Zinc. It can be added to make milk more nutritious. Additionally, it is loved by kids as it adds a deep and rich chocolatey taste to the milk. Here are some additional tips for parents to tackle fussy eaters.

Have A Family Mealtime

Parents can try sharing a meal with their child as much as possible. During this time, you may avoid using any digital devices, such as television or mobile phones. You can encourage your child to focus on their meal and share food with all the other family members. Try to incorporate different types of grains and vegetables into this meal, and continue to do the same even if your child initially shows some resistance. As children observe their parents and other family members, they may develop their own eating preferences over time.

Switch Recipes

Sometimes your child may not enjoy eating a particular type of food item because of a specific recipe. Hence, a great way to make your child try different food items is by switching recipes. You can try using several spices, garnishing ingredients, and changing the way that you cook that particular vegetable or food item. Try to play with textures and flavors, and encourage your child to finish these meals.

Avoid Bribing Your Kid to Eat

While it may seem tempting, avoid bribing your child to finish their meal. Very often, parents may resort to giving their child a candy or a chocolate if they complete their meal. While this may work temporarily, in the long run, eating well might become a task rather than a conscious and healthy choice for them. One of the best ways to feed fussy eaters is to explain to them the importance of nutrition and let them make mindful decisions related to their diet.

Let Kids Decide What They Want To Eat

You can involve your child in weekly meal planning and give them the liberty to choose the meals they want. This may make your child feel more involved and encourage them to complete their meals. You may also take them grocery shopping and educate them about the importance of checking labels before buying something.

Make Nutritious Versions of Their Favorite Food

If your child enjoys eating various types of junk food, such as burgers and pizza, you can create a more nutritious version of these foods at home. For example, to make a homemade pizza, you can prepare a base from wheat flour and add lots of veggies and homemade tomato salsa on top. This makes it a win-win for you and your child.

Conclusion

It is quite common for kids to be fussy eaters, especially when they're just learning about food and nutrition. Instead of getting angry at your child, you may try understanding their food preferences and choices. Keeping that in mind, you may plan meals and integrate strategies to make them as nutritious as possible.

People Also Ask

What is fussy eating?

Fussy eating refers to a habit of being extremely selective about one’s food choices and reluctance towards trying newer varieties of food.

What are the signs of a fussy-eating baby?

Some signs of a fussy-eating baby may include food aversions, eating only a select variety of food, and hesitation towards trying newer types of food.

What are the causes of fussy eating?

Some common causes of fussy eating may include sensory sensitivity, developmental stage, food aversions, allergies, and more.

What are the tips for fussy-eating toddlers?

Some common tips for dealing with fussy eaters may include trying different recipes, incorporating healthy fruits and vegetables into dishes, and having meaningful discussions about the importance of a balanced diet.