Ways to deal with a picky eater

For many families, the biggest tension at the table is a child refusing to eat. Let me say this first: picky eating is common in most children and is usually a passing phase. Pushing tends to make it harder.

Forcing backfires

The you cannot leave until you finish approach makes food feel like a punishment. The child sits at the table resisting, and their interest in that food drops even further.

Share the same table

Children copy what they see. Eating the same meals together as a family makes trying new tastes the most natural thing.

Give a new taste time

It can take many tries before a child accepts a new food. Do not drop a food completely just because it was refused once. Offering it again in small portions, without pressure, tends to work.

When to get support

If the pickiness is affecting your child's growth or development, it should be handled together with your pediatrician and a dietitian. On the maternal and child nutrition page I explain how I can help with this.