10 more Strategies to avoid pickiness- Part 2

Yesterday, I listed 10 strategies for avoiding picky eating battles. Today- I have more! This is clearly a topic I have put too much time into thinking about considering my daughter currently loves spicy foods, any veggie, cheese, savory or sweet item and… well, pretty much anything we put in front of her. But, I anticipate this could unfortunately change one day out of the blue. So, here are a few more thoughts and strategies I have come up with to hopefully survive the possibilities of pickiness: 

  1. Start with a healthy kitchen If I am satisfied with everything we eat in our home, including minimal treats and no junk or processed foods I will feel more confident in being able to offer great choices.
  2. In that same line, my children will become my little sous chefs as soon as they are able. She already sits on the floor with bowls and spoons “stirring”. And occasionally I pull up a stool where she ‘helps’ me do the dishes or assemble a dish. I can’t wait for her to be able to measure ingredients, use cookie cutters and eventually as she gets older chop the veggies with me. 
  3. Try not to cater to their whims. Okay, maybe she will love Mac n Cheese, Quesadillas, and Pizza. I get it. I love them too! I happily serve these but stuffed with veggies and goodness. A meal to me is incomplete without the veg. If she refuses dinner, I will not stop my meal to prepare something up for her.
  4. Hunger strikes are okay. I hate low-blood sugar. I can already tell when my daughter seems grumpy because she is hungry, especially after she wakes from a a nap. But, if there is a full showdown at dinner and my child refuses to eat anything I will try not to panic and make her something special. I will remind her that maybe there will be something for breakfast she may prefer instead. If low-blood sugar is the culprit (it happens- I know from experience!) she can have a piece of fruit, cheese, or nuts instead. Just enough to tide her over without giving into her hysteria. Throughout all of this, I will attempt to stay calm. ;) 
  5. Avoid the kid’s menu. I think this must be especially challenging for parent’s at restaurants where they desperately do not want ‘a scene’. I understand this completely. But, I find the selections at kid’s menus to be horrid and demeaning to a child’s palate. My plan is to select a dish with her that we can share. My husband and I often share dishes, so this seems easy enough. Having her experience the wide variety on the ‘adult’ menu will teach her about food beyond our household’s meals and maybe she will teach me a thing or two about interesting new foods to try. 
  6. Start small. My Grandmother who passed away last year at 100 years old, lost her appetite when a large portion was served. Since I loved cooking for her, she made this clear and I became good at giving her half sized portions. I start small with my daughter too. A few bites at a time. I figure this is less intimidating then a mountain of food to climb. 
  7. No thank you bites This was employed when I was a kid and I totally remember loving it. When I absolutely refused to finish something (usually a side of cooked veggies or such) I would ask for ‘no thank you bites’. Depending on my age at the time, I had to eat that same number of bites. 5 year olds: 5 bites. 8 year olds: 8 bites. I remember my sister and I keeping each other in check with our coordinating age. My parents also did not regulate the size of the bites. So, a tiny little piece was reasonable. As a parent now, I feel this method is a truce, a compromise, a way for each party to win. The parent is satisfied because the child at least tried it, the kid is happy to be in control of the size of the bite and to be done with having to eat something they dislike. 
  8. When my children are older… I will involve them in menu planning for the week, they will get to select a veggie or fruit whenever we go to the Farmers Market, and eventually they will be preparing dinner for the family themselves. 
  9. If all else fails, I’ll buy this Rainbow Kit
  10. My Dad & Aunt recently reminded me of the fact that they were served calf brains in scrambled eggs as children. I am enthusiastic about trying a wide variety of foods… I love tongue, liver, oysters, and more fare that is seen rarely on a kid’s plate these days. I will attempt to be as mellow about it as I am with the everyday food. I will show my enthusiasm, let them try it and not make a big deal if they reject it. And if they hate it- more for me! I figure they have plenty of time to develop their palate on their own time. And honestly you may hear me at some point mention to my kids “Well at least I am not serving you calf brains! That’s what your Gramps had to eat growing up!”