How to handle Picky eaters

According to Urban Dictionary Picky eater is a person that is adverse to a wide variety of foods; additionally picky eaters often display an unwillingness to try new foods, or any food that contains even a small amount of a food they do not like.

According to children’s health network the peak time for picky eating is the toddler or preschool years. A picky eater: May complain or whine about what is served, Refuses certain foods especially vegetables and meats, Pushes foods around the plate, Hides foods or gives them to a pet under the table, Eats enough total foods and calories per day for normal growth

What Causes Picky eating?

Children of all ages (and adults) commonly have a few food dislikes. A picky eater is a child with many foods dislikes. At age 2 or 3, up to 20 percent of children are picky eaters. It is normal for most young children to dislike foods with a bitter or spicy taste. Sometimes children dislike foods because of their color, but more often it's because they are difficult to chew. Children accept tender meats better than tough ones, and well-cooked vegetables better than raw. Occasionally a child who gags on large pieces of all foods has large tonsils that make it difficult to swallow.

 

Reasons your child is a picky eater

On a daily basis when trying to get their child to try new foods, mums hear words like “Eww” or “Yuck!” from their child.

Children can become picky eaters for a number of reasons. Some children are naturally more sensitive to taste, smell and texture. Other children develop picky eating habits by modeling their parents' fussy eating habits. Picky eating habits are more likely to develop when parents punish, bribe or reward their children's eating behaviors. The goal for feeding a picky eater should be to try new foods and to keep food from starting a battle.