Published: February 18, 2008 02:01 pm            

LIFESTYLE: There are ways to tackle problems with picky eaters

The ramifications of being a picky eater may go deeper than just having rigid food preferences.

Fussy eaters may be more fearful about experiencing life, one Sioux Falls, S.D., mother of four said.

Being an adventurous eater can have long-ranging effects, Denise Austad said.

The willingness of a child to try new foods can overlap other behaviors, she said. “Being a fussy eater limits their experiences.”

A child who isn’t afraid to try new foods will be less likely to fear travel because of the unfamiliar food and will be more open to eating at a variety of restaurants, she says.

Austad has a 9-year-old and three children older than 19. The older kids are willing to try new foods and aren’t afraid to travel for fear of not finding something to eat, she says.

Raising a food-tolerant child involves discipline and common sense. Don’t be afraid to set guidelines, and be ready to stick to them, she said. Austad uses the same set of rules for her youngest daughter that she used for the others.

“I made a family meal every evening. They were to try what I made. I always tried to make it kid-friendly,” she said. If they didn’t like it, “I would not make a whole new meal for them.”

If “they hated it, they could have a bowl of cereal and toast,” she said.

The best way to raise an adventurous eater is to model that behavior, said Teresa Beach, registered dietitian at Sanford USD Medical Center.

“Set a good example.”

It’s not right for the parent to drink pop or soda and force the kid to drink milk, she said. “It sets the wrong tone. They need to see mom and dad eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and drinking milk or water with their meal.”

Trying new foods should be a family affair, too. Don’t be alarmed if your child isn’t thrilled about tasting something new.

“No one likes to eat mysterious food,” Beach said. “Set a routine. Parents need to make sure they have set meal times and offer kids snacks in between.”

When you serve a meal, offer toddler-sized portions. The toddler tummy is the size of a fist, so it fills up fast.

“They need a tablespoon of food per year of age,” she said.

For example, if you’re serving chicken and mashed potatoes, a 2-year-old needs only two tablespoons of mashed potatoes and two tablespoons of chicken for his or her meal.

Little kids are good at self-regulating.

“Up until they’re 2 or 3, they eat totally based on their hunger,” Beach said.

Within reason, let kids feed themselves and pick what they want to encourage a healthy relationship with food. If they pick out the fruit or vegetable for a meal, they’re more likely to eat it, Beach said.

Children are more likely to try a new food if they see their peers eating it, said Carrie Congdon, site director of the YWCA child-care center in Sioux Falls.

Don’t force kids to try something new; it can lead to power struggles and food-related problems.

Don’t misinterpret the child’s behavior, Congdon said. “Lots of times, kids aren’t picky eaters. They’re just hesitant to try something new.”

Keep trying to introduce your child to new foods. Serving broccoli one time isn’t enough, Beach said. It takes 15 to 20 times of trying a new food for the child to decide if he or she is going to like it. And don’t be too down on hot dogs — meat is hard for the toddler to chew; hot dogs are easy.

Finally, relax. Only 20 percent of 2- and 3-year-olds will be finicky eaters, Beach said. A true picky eater has narrowed down his or her food preferences to 10 foods or less, and the behavior has been going on for months.

“It’s our job to nourish our kids,” Beach said. “For the most part, they’ll go through the jags of eating only hot dogs” and turn out fine.

        

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