Fussy eaters. For those of you who have one, you will know that it is always a huge battle to cook and feed your fussy eater. We have 6 top tips that we hope you find helpful which we found worked for our fussy little eaters! Let us know how you get on.
1). Start small: you can do this by slowly introducing new foods in small spoonsful to prevent overwhelming your little one. It may even encourage them to try it if you sit down eat together as it shows them that you are willing to try new foods too. Maybe allow them to nibble on different things that are on your plate – remember monkey-see-monkey-do. Also, if you’re really enthusiastic about the food you are eating, it may have a positive effect on your little one and they may become a little more adventurous.
2). Be persistent: it is super important to stay strong and patient as it can sometimes take 10-15 tastes of a new food before your child starts to enjoy it or get used to it. It is all worth it if it means that you can widen the range of things that they will happily eat.
3). Positive peer pressure: the eating habits of your little one can be strongly influenced by what others around them are eating and trying so if you know of another child that is quite an adventurous eater, invite them round for lunch or tea. Often children try new things when they see their friends eating it.
4). Relaxed environment: make sure you try your best to make the dinner table an open and calm place for your little one. You can talk about what you are eating, the origin of the food and how it tastes – this will hopefully spark your child’s interest. You could even tell them why a certain dish or food is your favourite – maybe it will become their favourite too! If this does not work, sometimes it is best to take the focus away from food and have a lovely chat with your child to take their mind off what they are eating.
5). Don’t bribe your child: it is very important to praise your child for trying a new food or dish, but it is vital to not reward them with a sweet or small present. Try using a reward chart with stars which result in different “prizes” that they can potentially earn after receiving so many stars. This will hopefully motivate them to explore new and different foods.
6). Little chef: it’s also a good idea to try and Include your child in the cooking process as they may be more likely to try the new food if they have prepared and cooked it with you. Children all love baking and cooking so it will always be a fun activity to share. You can also involve them in the shopping process – this may be an exciting outing for them by going to the shops with you and picking out something new to try.
We really hope that these ideas will help you to deal with your fussy eater. Just make sure you try your absolute best to keep calm and full of encouragement. At the end of the day, you shouldn’t have to worry too much as most children do grow out of their fussy eating habits. Good luck!
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