Creating an Appetite for Dinner Adventure

Nothing ruins a nice family dinner quicker than the whining, fighting, complaining and waiting games that come with a kid who’s a stubborn picky eater. The good news is, your kid is not the only one who doesn't like to try new things. The better news? You can change this attitude, and if your child is just starting to eat table food, you can possibly prevent it. Try these tips for raising children with well-rounded tastes.

• Eat as a Family: Make a point to sit down to a family dinner at night so your kids see you and other family members eating what’s served and trying new things.
• Get Them Involved: You can’t let your picky eater dictate each evening’s menu, but you can let them make requests (after explaining they may not always be granted). If they’re old enough, entice them into the kitchen to you help cook by letting them pick between two meal ideas. Getting hands-on with food makes it less mysterious and may encourage them to be more adventurous at the table.
• Don’t Force Feed: Sometimes, your kid simply isn’t hungry. Don’t force them to eat when they’re really not. You want them to understand and respect the hunger signals – or lack thereof – that their body is sending them. Setting snack times and mealtimes on a routine will help you figure out when it’s their actual appetite or pickiness. And remember that kids need less food than adults. Serve them child-size portions.
• Teach Them to Try: Plenty of parenting experts preach the power of the “try-three” rule that says a child can’t claim they don’t like something until they’ve tried it three separate times. By making them give a food or dish a taste on a few different occasions, you lessen the likelihood that they’re refusing it because they’re just tired or cranky. After three tries, if they still say they don’t like something, they probably don’t. And that’s okay. Most adults have a few things they won’t eat.
• Teach Manners: Explain to your kids that outbursts like, “That’s gross!” or “Eww! Yuck!” are actually quite rude and could hurt the feelings of whoever spent the time to make them the meal.
• Stand Firm: It’s not easy. In fact, it will be really hard. But if don’t continually offer alternatives, your kids will be more likely to eat what you give them. Once they understand that throwing a fit or refusing to eat will only result in them skipping supper instead of getting the food they’d rather have, they’ll become more willing to eat what the rest of the family is enjoying. No child has ever starved by missing one meal!