by Nate Widom
This article has been reviewed by Ashley Boyer, RD, LDN. Ashley is a Registered Dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a national professional organization, and is licensed in nutrition with the State of Delaware and Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, she also works as an Early Intervention Specialist working with children who have food intake issues and need nutritional assistance.
As a mother, Early Intervention Specialist, and Registered Dietitian, Ashley Boyer knows the importance of good nutrition for families. To her, fostering a welcoming environment that promotes healthy eating is essential. However, this entails the daunting challenge of getting children to try the foods they typically resist.
I sat down with her to learn her tips that establish good nutrition for children and curb picky eating.
For young children, eating a variety of well-balanced foods is critical. The relationship they have with food during childhood molds their behaviors for adulthood. And to Ashley, exposure is the key to success. It is crucial to have a kitchen filled with nutritious options and persistently encourage kids to try them. “The more they’re exposed to higher-nutrient food groups and foods typically not preferred [by children], the more likely they are to eat them,” she says.
But this doesn’t mean forcing kids to eat what’s on their plate or punishing them if they don’t eat something in particular. Ashley says about her own children, “I still offer them what we’re cooking that night. If there’s broccoli, it’ll be on their plate. Whether they eat it or not, I’m not going to force or push them, but I’m leaving it there and encouraging them to eat it.”
Ashley continues putting broccoli and other nutritious foods on their plates, even if her kids initially don’t seem interested. Not only does this encourage good eating and behavior, but it helps with picky eating, too. “Research shows it can take up to twenty times before a kid will accept a new food,” she says. “It’s really important to not just give up on foods that they’re not willing to accept.”
If you’re a parent to chronic picky eaters and this all sounds easier said than done, don’t fret. Consider these tips for making more foods more enjoyable for the whole family.
Dos
Start Small
It’s best to start small when introducing new, nutritious food. “Sometimes when we put too much on a kid’s plate, it’s so overwhelming because they’re thinking, ‘wow, I have to eat this whole thing.’” For instance, if you want your child to try peas, put only a couple on their plate, not a whole scoop.
And this doesn’t mean they must finish the food to make progress. Ashley tells her own children that they can just put something on their tongue to taste. It’s okay if they don’t swallow the food. Touching it or just having it sit on their plate is an improvement!
Present Food in Different Ways
Again, if your child rejects a certain food, don’t fret. “Food in a particular way might not be appealing, but if you offer it differently, they might like it,” Ashley says. Let’s say your child is unwilling to try raw carrots. Try them again in a different form, like cooked or served with a ranch or peanut butter dip.
Provide Choice
Granting the power of choice between different healthy foods helps kids feel empowered. “They’re making a good choice, too, and they don’t even realize it,” Ashley explains. “I’ll ask my son, ‘Which fruit do you want me to pack for lunch?’ and he’ll usually choose one. Giving him that autonomy is important but also lays some good foundations.”
Plan
Planning is critical. “Oftentimes, if we’re going, going, going, it’s like, well, what’s convenient?” Ashley asks. Usually, the answer is fast food!
That’s why she suggests pre-prepping healthy meals and snacks to have on-the-go. “It can be healthy but in a balanced way that can be quick and convenient, too. So, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.” For instance, you can bring something like a whole-grain sandwich or bag of carrots during your kids’ after-school activities.
Invite Kids Into the Kitchen
Involving your children in cooking facilitates curiosity and excitement about healthy, fresh food. “Letting them chop up things and be part of the process is really fun,” Ashley says. “Ask them, ‘What do you want to do? Do you want to chop this up or put this into the bowl and mix it?’” You can make little shapes in sweet potatoes and things like that.” Ashley also recommends preparing more family-style meals – meals with the mains and sides being served from separate vessels so each person can fill their plate with what they want. This allows kids to further engage by choosing what they want to try.
Ashley saw this first-hand when gardening with her son. After working with tomatoes, he craved a fresh vegetable pizza. Next, the whole family made one to enjoy together.
Promote a Welcoming Space to Eat as a Family
Small changes make big differences, so ensure your dining area is solely about eating and quality family time. Eliminate distractions like TVs and dedicate your dining space to eating and spending time together. This not only bonds the family but it “helps kids see you eating something and makes the meal enjoyable.”
Don’ts
Disguise Food
In Ashley’s experience, many parents will go above and beyond to disguise food that they want their little ones to eat. And while this tactic is great from a nutritional standpoint, it doesn’t benefit their perception of those foods. “I think that it’s almost a sneaky way of trying to avoid the actual encounter with the food, being okay with the food, and accepting it,” she explains. When working with picky kids, her goal is to help them figure out how they like their fruits, veggies, nuts, etc. prepared so that they can eat them willingly. Again, if your child won’t eat something, keep trying or try offering the same food prepared a different way.
Although Ashley doesn’t advocate for disguising foods, she encourages exploring methods to enhance the nutrient density of meals your family already enjoys. For instance, if your child is reluctant to eat zucchini, you can puree it and incorporate it into pasta sauce, as this enriches the nutritional content! Just know that if you want to change your child’s relationship with zucchini and other healthy foods, they have to know what it is that they’re eating.
Reward
In Ashley’s eyes, rewarding kids with treats if they try something new is a big no-no. Rewards unintentionally teach children that the healthier option is not desirable compared to the food they really want to eat. Plus, they’ll usually end up eating a tiny portion of the healthier option anyway.
“What we’re basically telling a child is to like this food, there needs to be something better,” she explains. “We want them to choose those foods willingly and work towards having a healthy relationship with them.”
Give in to Tantrums
“It is easy to get your child to stop screaming by giving them something. I’ve done it before, so I know.” However, Ashley admits this creates problems later. “If they’re snacking all through the day, they’re likely not going to eat a meal.” This also creates a behavior pattern similar to that of rewards.
Give Up
Since it takes up to twenty times for children to accept a new food, it’s important to be persistent. If your young child doesn’t eat spinach the first time you give it to them, that’s okay. Keep exposing them to spinach and plenty of other healthy options; they might just come around to it.
As stated earlier, this does not mean the children have to eat it—the point is to have the food around and encourage them to try it. Ashley’s son still won’t eat broccoli, yet she still puts it on his plate, hoping he’ll enjoy it one day when he grows up.
Of course, we all have foods we don’t like. And to Ashley, that’s okay – you want to look at the bigger picture of health. But in a child’s younger years. It’s still important to repeatedly expose them to good habits.
“We want them to choose those foods willingly and work towards having a healthy relationship with them.”
Finding Balance
Obviously, none of these tips mean that children can’t enjoy a treat or two. “It’s balance and knowing where the parameters are,” Ashley explains. “If it’s a party or Halloween, they’re likely not eating the healthiest meal. But one day is not going to ruin their nutritional development.”
That’s why it’s critical to teach moderation. Let them know the slice of cake and pizza can be enjoyed once in a while. Communication is key to avoiding unhealthy relationships with food later in life.
Conclusion
One of Ashley’s biggest takeaways is to be a positive role model for your children. Make sure you eat nutritious food yourself! When you consume healthy meals in front of your kids, they are more likely to emulate that behavior. As you take a bite of that fruit, tell your child(ren) how tasty it is and educate them on its benefits for their health.
“That’s what I really think is important. Understanding what we do with our kids as they’re young and how it impacts their adulthood and weight management,” she concludes.
