Here’s 1 Simple Idea to Help Encourage Your Picky Eater To Eat

Food is life! Oh boy! I’ve used that phrase with my friends WAY too often.  

It’s true our culture puts a very strong emphasis on socializing around food—eating out with friends and family or going out for drinks. 

We go out for coffee with our friends. 

We have family bonding time across from a worn-down kitchen table. 

We serve family style at crazy Uncle Jim’s house on Thanksgiving Day. 

We hold on to memories of quick fast food stops after soccer practices.

In a way . . . food is life. 

It helps us connect. 

It helps us socialize. 

But what happens when your child refuses to participate in mealtimes like you would wish? 

The refusals turn into tantrums. The tantrums turn into increased stress. You feel your blood pressure rising like an overheating boiler. 

And you literally have no idea what to do about it. 

Nothing you do works. 

Your stress levels are through the roof. 

And even that chocolate cake doesn’t seem to help you feel any better.

As a speech therapist, I’ve seen these scenarios happen in real time. 

The stress when a child refuses to eat . . . ANYTHING.  

The stress the caregiver feels. 

The pressure. 

The tears. 

It’s hard thinking, “What am I doing wrong? Why won’t my child eat?” 

You may be experiencing guilt. Or Confusion. 

Just know that you’re not alone. There are a lot of caregivers out there who feel the same frustration. The same guilt. The same confusion. 

And . . . progress is not always linear either. 

Some days might be better than others. One day, you might feel like you’ve gained 20 yards and the next . . . you might feel as though you lost 50. 

One of the techniques I recommend to parents who have children who are picky eaters, is the use of dips. 

Dips can be so much fun and DELICIOUS! 

There are so many options: sweet dips (i.e. chocolate, honey, peanut butter, etc.) savory dips (i.e. hummus, ranch, spinach, etc.)

Dips can help because they can hide textures.

Sometimes a child might be a picky eater because they don’t like specific textures. 

Using dips can help navigate through that challenge. 

So, next time you are planning family style dining, pull out all of those dips that are in the back of the fridge and have a dipping contest! 

Always remember that progress is not linear.

And you are not alone! 

Until next time, Andrea.