Why Are Some Kids Picky Eaters?
“Aren’t all kids picky eaters?” That’s the number 1 response I get when I ask parents about their child’s eating patterns. As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, understanding a child’s eating and chewing patterns can help me identify concerns about a child’s oral musculature. So I talk about picky eaters a lot!
While it is very common for some children to go through phases where they refuse certain foods, many children will become “picky” in an attempt to engage in a power struggle. Developmentally, it’s appropriate for children to test boundaries. These power struggles can present as a grocery store tantrum, a sob fest over a sandwich that has been cut the wrong way, or a meltdown over the fact that baths really aren’t optional. Most seasoned parents have a few strategies for just such occasions and realize that they can out-wait their child. Do you know the one situation where you can’t ignore your child’s behavior though? Mealtime.
When a child refuses to eat, parents often find themselves jumping through hoops just to get some calories in. We all know that we are the ones ultimately responsible for the nutritional intake of our children. It’s really easy to go down the rabbit hole of how a refusal to eat can cause all kinds of other problems. So what do parents do? They remake the sandwich. They cook a separate meal for the picky eater. They don’t even offer foods that they know will be rejected. Some kids figure out that eating is non-negotiable and they run with it!
What Can I Do To Combat the Pickiness?
1. Play with your food.
It is highly unlikely that a child will try a new food the first time it is put on their plate. When you put a new or non-preferred food on a child’s plate, tell them that they don’t have to eat it. You just want them to learn about it. The novelty of getting to squish it, smell it, roll it, lick it, or kiss it allows them to explore the food while being totally in control. This can mean that mealtime gets a bit messy, but mess is better than the stress of picky eating!
2. Get your child’s input.
If your child is trying to control the situation, this one can be a game changer! Ask your child to pick one new food to learn about. Let them pick one thing out of the pantry they’ve never tried before. It doesn’t matter if your child wants to try peanut butter on their mac and cheese. Let them try it!
3. Try changing the presentation.
One of my son’s favorite foods is tacos. He loads them up with meat, cheese, lettuce, queso, salsa, the works! My daughter, however, was overwhelmed with how many foods were combined in that one food. So, I made a pile of each of those components on her plate. Deconstructing a food can help make it “more reasonable” in the eyes of a picky eater. There are also a ton of fun plate designs to make mealtimes more kid friendly!
4. Don’t change too much at once.
Trying to introduce an entirely new meal can be very overwhelming for a picky eater. I always encourage parents to try one new food with at least 2 familiar ones. It’s harder for a child to try to start a war over a meal when there are 2 things on their plate that you both know they will eat. If you’re trying to introduce a new snack, pair a few bites of a preferred snack with a few bites of a new one. For example: if your child loves Goldfish but won’t try Cheez-Its, put a couple of Cheez-Its in a bowl of Goldfish. They’re similar in color, texture, and taste. So the preferred food can help make the transition to a new food easier!
5. Make it fun!
The Food Explorer App is one of my favorite therapy tools! It’s a game where children get points for trying new foods. Sometimes it helps if it’s simply not mom or dad’s idea! Keep score in your house for who has tried the most new foods this week if you have more than one picky eater. Whoever tries the most new foods gets to pick Saturday morning breakfast! Books like You Are Not an Otter: The Story of How Kids Become Adventurous Eaters, are also super helpful because they help children understand the importance of trying new foods.
Can kids be “too picky?”
The short answer is yes. While the tips mentioned above will help ease the picky eating phase for a lot of children, some children’s eating patterns can be more concerning. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of bad advice out there for the parents of children who might have some underlying medical conditions that contribute to their picky eating. Many well-meaning family members, friends, or even pediatric professionals will tell parents not to worry. “Children will eat when their hungry” can be harmful advice when it comes to children who have certain health issues.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association developed a Feeding and Swallowing Milestones by Age chart to help parents track their child’s development. Other signs of potentially concerning behavior include the following:
- Panic when a new food is on the plate
- Refusal to sit at the table when non-preferred foods are present
- Preference for specific food textures: will only eat crunchy foods, will only eat mushy foods, etc.
- Preference for specific food colors: will eat the regular goldfish but not the rainbow ones
- Diet is brand or type specific: will only eat chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A but not the chicken strips; will eat nuggets from Chick-fil-A but not McDonald’s
Feeding Therapy in Birmingham
If you think you need professional help addressing your child’s pickiness, there are several local providers who can help! Many insurance companies do not require a referral from a pediatrician. However, the front office staff can help you determine if that is necessary for their particular practice!
Children’s of Alabama Outpatient Therapy
Salt and Light Speech & Language
*This is not a comprehensive list of providers in the area*
