Do you have a child that you would describe as a “picky eater”? Have you found that as they’ve grown older they get more fussy? Or maybe mealtimes have always been difficult? Does your child dismantle sandwiches or refuse to eat things if a sauce is touching it? Do you have an unhappy child if the beans are on the toast?
Providing healthy meals for picky eaters can be stressful. My son was great at mealtimes, as a toddler, and ate everything (even broccoli and avocado). As he’s grown older, the list of foods he dislikes has increased and I’ve found it very frustrating watching him poke his food around the plate or complain that everything was “too mixed up” or “saucy”. I can’t really explain why he prefers his food a certain way and have put it down to personal preferences and likes. If this all sounds familiar, this article will offer some practical advice for feeding picky eaters and recipe ideas to help you have happier and less stressful mealtimes.
Healthy meals that even picky eaters will like…
Unfortunately, I don’t have a magic wand to make your children love their broccoli. However, below you will find a list of our top 10 family meals that we enjoy together and how I adapt some of them to be suitable healthy meals for picky eaters, without falling into the trap of making two completely different meals…
- Chicken fajitas
This type of meal is great for fussy eaters as you can put everything separately on the table and they can choose what to put on their plate. - Naan bread pizzas
Try to get your child involved in the cooking process by letting them choose and add their toppings. Encourage them to try something new, even if it’s just one piece of pepper. - Pan-fried chicken breast and garlic cream sauce
A quick and easy dinner ready in 45 mins. Put the sauce in a jug on the side. Fussy eaters can have a dip to see if they like it. Serve with garlic potatoes and corn on the cob. - Homemade burgers
A healthier version of the junk food favourite. - Chicken tikka
Anything cooked on a skewer is a hit with my kids. Place the yoghurt sauce on the side. - Eggy noodles
This is quite a dry noodle dish that is a family favourite and you can control the level of spice by adding chilli sauce at the table. - Sausage traybake
An easy meal that can be adapted for fussy eaters. - Beef koftas
Another meal where lots of different bits can be placed on the table for everyone to help themselves. - Easy lemon baked salmon
A surprisingly easy dish to make that can be adapted for different tastes. - Pesto chicken pasta
A pasta dish that’s not too “saucy”. The chicken is placed on the side of the pasta instead of mixed in.
Creating Happy Mealtimes…
Try to Relax
I know the feeling of frustration after you’ve made an effort to cook your child a delicious meal and they just poke it around the plate. When a meal doesn’t go to plan it’s important to be indifferent to your child’s behaviour. Just remove the plate and move on. Don’t try to negotiate another mouthful or demand to know why they aren’t eating their food. This will upset everyone and make mealtimes too stressful for your child.
Sometimes you need to play it more cool. At mealtimes, try not to get too involved or influence their choices. Place a range of options on the table and let them choose what they want. For instance, when we have fajitas there are several options on the table (chicken, cut up veggies, hummus, avocado, salad, wraps etc) and my fussy eater can pick what he wants. This no pressure, aloof approach sometimes means they’ll put something new on their plate. If they do try something new then give lots of praise and tell them how proud you are of them (even if they decide they didn’t like it).
Try to remember the bigger picture – there are plenty more opportunities to feed your child during the week and as long as they are a healthy weight and developing normally then they are getting what they need. If they’ve eaten very little at a meal and you want peace of mind then offer a healthy snack later. Keep a diary of foods that your child has eaten and look at their intake over the week. It’s often not as bad as you first thought.
Do not worry If your child makes a mess or likes to pick up their food with their fingers. Mealtimes can be messy, especially with young children and you don’t want to create a tense environment by constantly cleaning up or criticising during the meal.
All children aged 1 to 5 are advised to take a supplement containing vitamins A, C and D.
Involve Your Child
- Wherever possible let your child have some decision making when it comes to their food. Would they like sweetcorn or peas with their chicken? Would they like to put peppers or tomatoes on their pizza? Either way they’re having a vegetable but they make the decision and feel in control.
- Take your child shopping with you and encourage them to help you choose some nutritious food that they might like to try.
- Take a look at my article all about how to get kids to eat more vegetables.
Use Non-food Rewards
- Try using non-food rewards and avoid using food as a reward. Examples include:
- verbal praise
- giving a sticker for trying a new food
- taking your child out for a trip to their favourite place for filling their sticker chart
- playing your child’s favourite game.
Snacking and Drinks
- Try reducing snacks and space meals 4 hours apart. Children who pick and graze in-between meals are less likely to be hungry at mealtimes. It is difficult to say no to our children but be strong and remember that your are in charge.
- Don’t allow your child to drink more than a pint of milk in total during 24hrs. Milk is nutritious but should not replace meals.
Develop Helpful Mealtime Habits
- Always serve meals in a calm, relaxed environment that is free from distractions. Try to eat together at a table with no TV, mobile phones or tablets.
- Limit mealtimes to around 20 to 30 minutes. Wait for the next snack or mealtime and offer nutritious foods again. Try to always offer 2 courses – one savoury and one sweet to give your child as much opportunity to take in the energy and nutrients that they need.
- Keep portions small. Children can often be overwhelmed by a large plate of food.
- Serve at least one food you know they will enjoy at each meal.
- Keep offering different foods. Don’t assume that just because they didn’t like something last month they won’t like it now. My kids’ tastes change like the wind so I’ll keep putting small amounts of things on their plate just to try again and again. It can take up to 15 attempts before a child will accept a new food.
- Try arranging for your child to eat with other children occasionally. Children learn by copying and your child may try new foods if they see their friend eating them.
- For more information go to the British Nutrition Foundation
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