How can I help my fussy eater to try more foods?
"Food tastes better when you eat it with family”
Over the past 10 years, busy schedules, after-school activities, and increased technology use have made family dinners less common. This can contribute strained family relationships, unhealthy eating habits, picky eating, obesity, and overall stress.
Why Eat Together?
1. Connection: Family meals help everyone bond. They make young children feel safe and provide a routine. Parents and siblings can model trying new foods and social interaction. For older kids and teens, it's a time to reconnect at the end of a full day apart from one another.
2. Healthier Eating: Family meals encourage healthier food choices. Kids tend to eat more fruits and vegetables and get important nutrients like fiber, calcium, and iron.
3. Stress Relief: Family meals benefit parents too. Eating together helps parents manage job stress. Cooking together can be fun, help explore new foods, and save money.
Tips for Eating Together
Start Small: If you're not already doing it, aim for one family meal per week.
Flexible Timing: If dinner is tough to coordinate, try family breakfasts on weekends or lunches.
Quality Time: Even if everyone can't make it, enjoy meals with whoever is home.
No Distractions: Turn off phones and the TV. Consider a box for all devices during meals.
Share: Ask each person to share one good and one bad thing from their day. Maybe try rating the day on a scale of 1-10. Doing so each time you eat, will create an instant gauge for what each member ‘average’ tends to be so you can check in if this varies.
Involve Kids: Get kids involved in meal prep. Older kids can cook, and younger ones can set or clear the table.
What about fussy eaters?
If your child is a fussy eater, meal times can add extra stress for both you and them, making family meals extra tricky. In these cases, set up meals as ‘family serving’ - put all the food in the centre of the table or bench and ask your fussy eater to serve food to each family member (little ones might need a little help). The serving of food gives your fussy eater control and exposure to new foods without the pressure of eating, allowing them to experience textures and smells they would not normally experience.
If your child is extra fussy, it might be worthwhile investigating why. Kids Spot speech pathologists can help. There are many reasons a child might be a fussy eater and support for this area is available.
