Tips for Managing Picky Eaters

CLEVELAND - September is National Fruits and Veggies Month.

If you have a little one who isn’t a big fan of either, you’re in good company.

It’s common for kids to be picky eaters.

“Picky eating is actually developmentally appropriate for kids. A lot of kids go through picky eating phases. It's mainly just how you react to the picky eating. I always tell parents low pressure but continuing to expose them to food, and usually it's something that they can grow out of,” said Margherita Shook, RD, registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.

Shook said while picky eating can be common, there are times where it can be a concern.

Examples include if the child is regularly disrupting mealtime, losing weight, having anxiety, or choking or gagging when eating. 

If your child is more so just not interested in trying new fruits or veggies, shook suggests pairing them with safe foods you know they like.

Maybe that’s macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets.

This way they don’t feel as much pressure to only eat the new food.

Shook said you could also make the new food more appealing by cutting it into a fun shape.

“I'll often tell kids, what's your favorite color? Do you like red? Do you like yellow or orange? Okay, so let's pick a fruit or vegetable that's yellow, red, orange, whatever color they name. Often adding sauces, different things like hummus, guacamole, ranch dressing, I'm okay with any of those things if it helps us get to the final product of liking the fruits or the vegetables,” she said. 

Shook said if you’re feeling defeated by your child’s eating, just know it can take up to 15 times for them to be exposed to a new food before they decide whether they like it or not, so consistency is key.