Do you have a picky eater in your house?

Eeew! Not Broccoli!

Most children have an aversion to vegetables and some more than others. Then there are children who seem to be the pickiest eaters in the world with aversions to almost every food! I encountered one such child when I moved in with my husband and step-son.

I was surprised to find out that my 3 year-old step son would only eat; chicken nuggets, french fries, mac and cheese in a box, white rice, buttered white noodles, PB&J sandwiches, apples and a few other very specific white foods.

I soon realized his pickyness went further than just a preference for specific foods; he would only eat a very specific kind of french fry and when he started eating pizza (which he refused to eat at first) it had to be a specific kind/brand of pizza. Any variance of any kind from the usual, sight, smell and/or texture and he would refuse to eat it, even if it still tasted the same! So, for about two years I would make food for myself and my husband and then make his foods for him. If we tried to give him something else he would not eat anything, and then he would be up all night because he was hungry. Hungry three-year-olds who are not sleeping are very cranky come morning time!

However, there came a point when getting vegetables into him and teaching him about a healthy diet became too important to ignore. He was about 5 years-old when we decided to implement a rule that he needed to try one new food every night at dinner time. It is now three years later, he likes most vegetables I serve him and he is no longer afraid to try new foods. Ya!

If you have a picky eater here are some tools and tips that may help you both try new foods and enjoy vegetables:

1. Start out simple: start with very simple vegetables. Steamed broccoli, add a little butter and a smidgen of salt. Or boiled carrots with a small amount of butter and salt. Complex flavors usually turn picky eaters off. Also if they cannot easily identify what is on their plate they will not want to eat it. 
2. Start with very small portions, one bite of a “new food” at dinner time every day. Then over time start to increase the serving size. If you give too much to start with, the child will feel defeated before they have begun and will not even bother trying one bite. 
3. Give praise for trying new foods: even if they make a face and tell you very clearly that it is disgusting, it is important to give them positive reinforcement. Tell them they did a good job trying that new food. 
4. Don’t take it personally. Children, especially small children, live in a world that revolves around them. So when they tell you that your cooking stinks they don’t understand that they could be hurting your feelings, they are thinking about how the food affects them and that is all they are capable of right now.
5. Get your child involved in the cooking process. It was always much easier to get my step-son to try a new food when he was the one who prepare it himself. He still enjoys helping in the kitchen and is not afraid of the vegetables!
6. Admit when you have botched a recipe. If you have made something that did not turn out good and you don’t like it yourself then say that. It will lend credibility with your child. They need to know that vegetables can be cooked in a way that makes them gross and they can be cooked in a way that makes them taste awesome! Remember that if the vegetable is not completely delicious to you, it is probably gross to your child’s sensitive palate. 
7. Try new foods with your child. Pick out a food that you have never had before either, prepare it together and talk about what you like and don’t like about it. Show your child that you practice what you preach and try new foods with them!
8. Patience, above all else is mandatory! It took about three years of continuous effort, love and patience for my step-son to be able to enjoy and eat almost everything I put in front of him.

Here is a great Kale recipe that my whole family enjoys including my 8 year-old step son:

Basic No-Fat, No-Fuss, Colorful Kale

From the book: Greens Glorious Greens by Johnna Albi & Catherine Walthers

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:

3/4 Pound Kale (about 6 cups, chopped)

2    Cups Water

3    Carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise

8    Ounces of Frozen Corn

      Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Wash kale and strip leaves from the stalk. Discard stalks and chop leaves into bite-size pieces. Set Aside.
2. Bring water to boil in a large skillet that has a tight-fitting lid.
3. Meanwhile, cut the quartered carrots into ½ inch pieces. Place carrots and corn in the boiling water, reduce heat. Cover skillet, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Add prepared kale to carrots and corn. Cover and cook for 4 minutes. Water should be bubbling rather vigorously but not boiling over. 
5. Sprinkle on salt to taste, stir to combine, and remove to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Serve hot.

Wishing you patience and love in your journey to trying new foods!