Tips for Parents with Picky Eaters

 Do you have a young child who is a picky eater? Young kids often do things that seem like picky eating. They are trying to do more for themselves, and they want to do things their way.  They may refuse to eat a certain food, or not eat much on some days. This is temporary, and it’s a normal part of growing up.
Below are some tips for some common eating scenarios.
My child doesn’t like to try new foods.
• Offer one new food at a time. Offer it with food she likes.
• Offer a small amount. Don’t worry if your child doesn’t eat it. Try again another time. You may need to offer it many times before she will eat it.
• Let her try all kinds of foods, even the ones you don’t like!
My child doesn’t always want to eat what I serve. He wants something else.
• Have at least one food he likes at each meal, along with the other foods.
• Let your child help with meals. Children like to eat foods they help prepare.
• Sometimes offer her two choices of foods and let her pick one.
My child doesn’t eat much.
• Young kids are smart eaters. They eat when they are hungry and they stop when they are full.
• It’s normal for kids to eat less after their first year. They are not growing as fast.
My child only wants to eat one kind of food.
• This is normal at this age. Let him eat the food he wants, if it’s a healthy food.
• Offer him other foods, too. After a few days, he will probably eat other foods again.
My child sometimes doesn’t want to eat anything.
• Don’t worry if he skips a meal sometimes. He will make up for it later.
• Take the food away until the next meal or snack. Meals and snacks should be about every two or three hours.
• Make sure he doesn’t fill up on milk, juice, or sweet drinks between meals. Offer water in a cup when he’s thirsty.
Joy Ahrens is a Registered Dietitian for the WIC Nutrition Program. This program offers nutrition education, breastfeeding support, checks for healthy foods, and referrals to qualifying women, infants and children under five years of age.
To see if you qualify for the WIC Program, call 818-361-7541.