Picky Eaters AKA The Battle Of Wills: 10 Mom Hacks To Encourage Your Picky Eater To Try New Foods

10 Mom Hacks For Picky Eaters~

1. The Power of Presentation:

Think colour, variety and familiarity

Kids love colourful and visually appealing meals. Get creative with your presentation by arranging fruits and veggies into fun shapes or making smiley faces with food. Remember, a plate that looks like an artist's palette is far more enticing than a plain old plate of green beans.

2. Sneaky Swaps:

Sometimes, a little deception can go a long way. Sneak in nutritious ingredients by blending veggies into pasta sauce, adding spinach to smoothies, or making zucchini muffins. Your little ones won't suspect a thing! We have loads of options pinned over on our Mom Matters Pinterest. 

3. Make it a Game:

Transform mealtime into an adventure! Create a game where each bite of new food earns points or rewards. Let your child be the judge and give their honest opinions on each dish. Youre allowing them the space to express likes and dislikes let's be honest we all have them and why not use mealtime to teach your littles how to express theirs kindly, we are teaching them young how to deliver what a tutor of mine liked to call the “bs sandwich” a technic we use in personal trainer and many other areas of life. For example  “your carrots were my favourite part of the meal so yummy, but I give the beef a 3 cause it was a bit dry and I don't personally like it, but I love how you made my favourite dessert” (compliment criticism compliment). why well because no mother wants to be the parent whose child announces loudly at another child's party that their homemade birthday cake tastes like mud. We are teaching them its ok not to like things but we must always concider someones time and hard work.

4. A Dash of Humor:

Inject some laughter into the mealtime struggle. Make funny faces with food, tell jokes, or even come up with silly food names. It's amazing how a little laughter can lighten the mood and make the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved. There is a reason we see parents all over the world use the “aeroplane” technique to get their baby to eat it's because making it fun and having a distraction can make them more likely to forget about the battle of wills and just try the food even if it does come straight back out again. We move on and we try something else.

5. Empowerment through Choice:

Give your picky eater some control over their meals. Don't let meal times become a battle of wills because then it's just going to create a cycle of you and your child fighting over what foods they will eat. I know it's frustrating and can feel exhausting but you are fighting a losing battle because they can control what they eat whether we like it or not. If you force too much control now when they are old enough to rebel they will even if they have to hide it they will find a way to win this battle eventually and it can cause damage in the long run. Offer a selection of healthy options and let them choose what they want to eat. This way, they feel empowered and are more likely to try new things. I know as parents we hate to think of such things as our littles feeling overwhelmed or insecure in life or with new challenges such as starting school or a new sibling etc. but that's life and sometimes it happens and no matter what else is happening food is a consistent they can control so let them.

6. Lead by Example:

Children often imitate their parents' eating habits. Show them that you enjoy a variety of foods by trying new dishes yourself. Be their role model and let them see your enthusiasm for exploring different tastes and flavours. Dish up a plate for yourself sit down at the table and pick away, chances are your curious little one is going to wonder why mom isn't making a big fuss to give them some?! Suddenly they must have some too. Reverse Psychological is a parent's best friend. Think about it if you sit down with a bar of chocolate chances are you don't want your toddler to have some, so they will make a beeline for you and cry until they get some. So getting rid of junk food (in moderation no food (within dietary requirements and reason obviously we don't give our toddlers a can of Red Bull) should be completely off limits, I personally think it makes them want it, even more, think about when you restrict yourself sometimes it's all you really crave and then you give in and then you feel guilty its the cycle of DIETING rather than balance and moderation is key which consists of making healthy life choice as often as you can so you don't feel guilty when you do have a takeaway or a share bar all to yourself during that “Time of the Month”) and sit down with a nice healthy snack tell them they won't like it and its a big person food and watch how quickly they will insist on having some and even battle through their dislike just to prove Mom wrong. I personally imply the rule to my youngest as he is the one with the sweetest tooth that if I don't eat or drink it myself then there is no way on this green earth I'm buying it for my child usually (not always he's a teen) that's enough for him to move on and pick a different item or battle. 

7. Patience, Patience, Patience:

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a diverse palate. Dish up the “family meal” and everyone gets a little bit of everything unless, of course, you are at the stage where if you put it on their plate you are guaranteed a meltdown (let's not begin with a lost battle) then place it in a side bowl or plate as an option and then sit down and enjoy your meal, don't pay any attention to whether they are eating or not.

No big deal about food its a relaxed atmosphere and tempting as it maybe to tell them to try it or correct them for playing with it or even jumping for joy when they finally take a bite of that broccoli don't do it, just continue to eat your own meal maybe making comment on how lovely some of yours tastes or how your full but your going to try your best to finish it all but it's ok if you can't. When you are finished ask your child if they are done and would they like to go and play now (chances are they will say yes and yes I know Mom worry takes over and you begin to wonder what on earth is sustaining them) but you are giving them back the control around food and this is an important first step. Do the same for each meal time, serving a variety of healthy choices and a few staples you know they will enjoy and devour, you don't like every food so don't expect them to. I personally won't eat Leaks Onions or Buckwheat(even the name sounds gross to me) and believe it or not they all stem back to childhood. I know many other adults who don't like foods and it will more often than not be reasoned with a tale from childhood.

Here is Mine~

My father handed me an Onion because as a toddler I insisted it was an apple, Instead of getting an apple he handed it to me, I took a huge bite ( he said while telling me the tale years later when I still won't eat them that he still remembers the look of betrayal on my face) and to this day if I even smell raw onion in my food I won't eat it, the other 2 food experiences were a little more  “traumatic” and they are not even allowed inside my home, my own kids have never eaten either food even a well-blended leak and potato soup is a no go, I avoid them in supermarkets and if I had to touch them I'd probably cry… Why am I saying this?! Mainly because the way you handle food now sticks with your children for life( not to scare you and yes I know it's scary, motherhood is scary Us Moms know better then anyone everything we do has an impact on another human beings future self) But to make you aware, knowledge is power and food is important we need it to survive and function properly daily for the rest of our lives. We won't always be fussy 2-year-olds trying to win a battle of wills with our parents.

Unfortunately, it is one of the first things we can control in life and can build habits and unhealthy patterns around, whether it's binge eating, under-eating or overeating, we hear about it all the time. And why well because unlike other addictions you can't just give it up, and “go cold turkey”. Your relationship with it has to change from unhealthy to healthy and that can be much more difficult as an adult or teen. The longer it is left the worse it gets. Make food fun, make trying new things fun and allow them the choice.

***A child will not starve themselves unless there are medical or developmental issues always talk to you paediatrician if you have concerns to rule these out before trying these steps. ***

8. Get Them Involved:

Engage your little ones in the kitchen to spark their interest in food. Let them help you with age-appropriate tasks like stirring, mixing, or adding ingredients. When children are involved in the cooking process, they develop a sense of ownership and are more likely to try the final dish. Allow them to plan the menu even if it means chicken nuggets and ice cream all around, Put some rules in place like showing them the food pyramid and they can pick a food from each of the food groups, fruit or veg, meat, fish or meat substitute, a grain or potato and choice finally a dessert. Let them help with all stages and make it a game of “restaurant”. Again it gives them the control back and makes it fun.

9. Food Exploration Adventures:

Transform mealtime into a culinary exploration adventure. Introduce your child to new foods by taking them grocery shopping and letting them choose something they've never tried before. Encourage them to learn about the food's origin, benefits, and how it can be prepared. This hands-on approach makes trying new foods exciting and educational. Grow your own weather it's some watercress for a salad or a smoothie, some tomatoes for some soup or some herbs to add a little flavour and amazing new smells. Allow them to grow and harvest their very own foods and then help prepare them for the family or some friends the pride they will feel giving granny some of their homegrown treats will sometimes be enough to make them want to eat it also and don't make a fuss if they don't want to straight away their curiosity will get the better of them eventually.

10. Create a "Try It" Jar:

Prepare a jar filled with small, folded pieces of paper that have different food names written on them. Let your child pick a paper from the jar during mealtime, and they have to taste a small portion of that food. Make it a rule that they have to try everything at least once. This game adds an element of surprise and encourages your little ones to step out of their comfort zone. Be flexible and allow it to be their choice (sometimes this means getting the best of three picks or adding some of their favourites to the jar).  As my own Mum says it takes 3 tastes before you know whether or not you really like a food, if they really don't like it then we leave it out for a later date or maybe it's a food they actually just don't like simple as that. There are so many healthy nutritional options out there that we really don't need them to like everything. Don't be afraid to let them try foods you don't like or wouldn't normally try maybe mom can try something new that they recommend make it a two-way street, and this will make them more open to accepting your offers also.