My son who is seven is very picky. The following are some tips that have worked for me, I hope they work for you.
* Prepare Your child. Talk to your child about Nutrition and the importance of developing a healthy body. Together, come up with a family plan, include a list of steps the family wants to take to transition to a more healthful diet. Post the list where everyone can see it.
* Think Positively. If your child sees you enjoying the changes, he will be more willing to join you.
* Involve your Child. Children of all ages can help plan with the menu planning, shopping and preparing meals, we normally do this on a Friday and we have game night after dinner.
* Introduce a wide Variety of Foods. Offer a variety of Vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, Offer a few teaspoons at first, and gradually increase the amount once they ask for more.
* Experiment with old Favorites. Offer a new food with a familiar one.
* Offer the same food Prepared in Different ways.Offer them alone or one day have raw broccoli and the next time Cooked.
* DON'T GIVE UP. It will take about 10 times for our kids to want to try it without asking or begging to try it.
*Serve Vegetables and new Foods as appetizers: We have found this to be the best. We have little special plates for our appetizers and the kids think it's fancy. Consider having fruit for dessert instead of Ice cream.
*Don't make a big deal when your child rejects the food. Stay cool and reaffirm the boundaries you have stablish by insisting that they try to two bite rule.
*Give your child a choice. Give them a choice within boundries you stablish. Instead of asking what would you like for dinner tonight? Ask Would you like Chicken or Quesadillas?
*Do not Completely fordid Certain foods. Forbidden foods can quickly become the foods of greatest desire. At school for example, children are more likely to trade for food that are not allowed at home. Allow your child to choose a special food from time to time and let them eat it guilt free, this one is hard for me to allow but I have to allow it so that they make the right chooice when I am not around.
*Encourage children to bring home their leftovers. Looking at left over lunches is a great way to get information about your children's lunch preferences. Find out why certain foods have come back uneaten. Did your child not like it? Was she/he not hungry?
*Avoid Food Reward. Neither desert nor candy should be used as a punishment or enticement, rather you must establish and enforce the rules.
