"pickyeaters" news and stories

Many experts say that it takes time for a child to accept a new food once it has been offered to them. The number of times you should offer a food varies according to who you ask. The most recent number seems to be 15 times, but once of the reasons to bring up new foods so often is to prevent the kids from getting into a rut with what they eat.

Pediatric nutritionist Jeanne Cox says that variety is important to make sure that kids are getting all of the nutrients that they need, even if the foods that they like are already healthy ones. New foods add flavor variety and change the vitamins and nutrients the children take in. If they are offered, and allowed to eat, the same foods every day, they may be less likely to try new foods in the future.

Cox tells parents that they should offer children, especially picky eaters, very balanced meals that include protein, starch, vegetables and/or fruits. Each element should be varied, serving potatoes, bread (whole grain, of course), pasta or rice for the starch, for example. Even if a child only eats the protein on one night and the starch on another, in the long run, the child will have eaten a relatively balanced diet and probably tried a few new foods, too - new foods that he or she might just want to eat again.

More about picky eaters:

• The "Cool factor" and picky eaters
• The science of picky eating

Source

The lengths to which I will go to ensure that my children will eat are sometimes ridiculous. But as a mother I believe one of my duties is to feed them and feed them well. I never force my children to eat but I do sometimes resort to food entertainment in order to encourage their interest. One way I have found success is by using cookie cutters to create sandwich shapes. A sandwich is a sandwich is a sandwich, but cut that boring old square into small stars, pigs or flowers it becomes just a bit more intriguing for my brood.

Over the years I have collected a giant box of cookie cutters for this exact reason. I find that the seasonal shapes go a long way towards mealtime enticement. Also fun are the very tiny cookie cutters, my favorites are from a long ago Tupperware party. The set of four, which includes a sun, star, flower and clover, never fail to bring a giggle of delight and the sound of slurping from the table.