How to Avoid Picky Eating

I'm going to share with you my number one top secret to avoiding picky eating for your little one. Not only, after doing this for more than 10 years, but the research shows that the number one thing that you can do to help your child avoid picky eating down the road is to expose them to food without pressure all the time.

Maybe you think that sounds too easy or too good to be true. In my experience and what the research shows, is that exposing your child to food without the pressure that they need to eat it is what's going to help them in the long run. Now, let me share with you the top three ways that you can include this in your routines right away.

My name is Lindsay and welcome to the Little Foundations YouTube channel, where I help parents and caregivers to create healthy habits with their little ones from the very start. Like I said, exposure to food without the pressure that they need to eat it is one of the things that we see helps children to not be picky and to be adventurous eaters growing up. We all want the best for our children, but sometimes without knowing it, we can keep them away from the food for too long.

I know that things are much easier when we don't have a child in tow to do the grocery shopping or to make the food, but it's important that we incorporate these things in your routine when possible. Don't overdo it and don't do it when you're having a stressful day, but I'm going to show you how you can easily include this in your routine. Very often, kids will have food show up on their high chair that they've never seen before or they haven't seen that many times. And if we want them to keep eating new things and keep trying new foods, they're going to need exposure outside of the high chair.

For a child that is a little bit hesitant to try new foods, they're going to need some more experience with it before they're really comfortable enough to eat it in the high chair. So, I'm going to show you how you can include those things in your routines to make them more comfortable and interested to try it.

Alright, number one is involve them. Involve them as much as you can. Like I said, I know it is much faster to get the shopping done without them there, but when you can or when you have a little bit more time, please try to take them with you, even if it's every once in a while. And then, when you're at the market, don't give them your cell phone or even toys to hold. We want them to have food to hold. Depending on their age, they can start to help you with your shopping list.

"Okay, I need to find two green peppers. Can you help me?" Or "I need to find six bananas. Let's count them". Even things like that—holding the food, counting it, picking it out—anything that involves them in the food helps them to get comfortable, to know the food, and they feel that there's no pressure to eat it because they're not sitting in their high chair. They get to experience the food in a new way. This helps them to be more curious about it and more interested.

If your child is a little bit older, they can help you when it comes time to come home and unpack the groceries. Depending on your child's age, you can have them sort the food or have them wash off the vegetables. You can say, "Okay, carry all the apples over to me", or "Help me, can you wash off these cucumbers".

And while I know it's a little bit chaotic when you're putting all the things away, have other people in the house help you put the groceries away and plop your baby right on the floor with a bowl of water and put some cucumbers in there. Have them pretend to wash it off or have them play with it. Things like this can be silly and yes, a little bit messy, but it's important for them to get that exposure in many ways, to get comfortable and curious about the food. Because then when it comes time to eat it, it will be more familiar to them and they'll be more interested to try it.

And if you have a garden, this is the same thing. Have them help you and get dirty in the garden. Have them help pick things off or as they get bigger, show them which ones they can pull. Have them collect those things, put it in a basket, and help them to wash those foods off. Having them be around the food is really exciting and getting messy is really a plus. Again, do this when it's convenient for you, when you have a little bit more time to clean up. It's totally worth the mess.

Alright, this goes into number two: meal prep together. Again, depending on your baby's age and stage, they can go from washing it off or playing with bowls of food and water and safely cutting food and helping you to make it. One of my favorite tips here is measuring cups are so much fun. Measuring cups and bowls and spoons and baking utensils are really fun.

If your baby's really little, have them play with the food and mix it or play with water and dump it into measuring cups. Even by you being right next to them, prepping the meal in the kitchen when it's not exactly mealtime, is really helpful for them. They see what this mealtime is about and they get more comfortable and they want to be more involved. And it's a great time for you to be together.

If your baby is older, they can help to chop the bananas or follow directions and help you pour things and measure them. They can help you to mix things and stir it. Not only does it help them in their development, but it also helps them to become more comfortable and excited about food. And because cooking and eating are things that we will do for life, it's important that they are involved in this process as much as possible, as early as you can.

Again, remember to do it when it's convenient for you. Yes, things will take a lot longer with babies, but give it a try when you have a little bit more time.

And number three: have them help with the meals, before, during, and after. As your baby gets older, they can help to serve the other family members. I always say it's great to have family-style meals as much as possible, having the food be in the middle of the table. Not only is it great for your child to get used to seeing the food, but as they get older, they can help to serve it out and touch it and play with it and be around the food. We want our children to eat the same food that we have and it's great for them to see it without feeling the pressure that they need to eat it.

So, when they're ready, they can help to scoop out some onto your plate or help to clean up after the meal. And as they get older, they can help to put the dishes in the sink. All of these little things add up and all of these build happy, positive experiences with food.

Again, the reason that this is so important is that I want you to imagine going to a restaurant, not being able to see the menu, and having a plate of food show up in front of you. And maybe some of it is something that you've never seen before. You probably aren't feeling really comfortable about it. Sometimes, without knowing it, that's what we're doing with our children. We love them and we care for them and we want them to have a great, varied diet of many things. But if they don't get the chance to play with the food and touch it and experience it before it shows up in front of them, they might be a little bit hesitant.

So, don't be afraid to get a little bit dirty, to get a little bit messy, and to spend more time in the kitchen together. I promise you it will pay off. Again, do it when it's convenient for you, but know that you're helping your child to learn to love food. You're doing a great job. For more baby feeding tips, check this.