Say Goodbye to Picky Eating: The Best Foods for Kids to Get Them To Eat A Wide Variety of Dishes

 

When you have young kids, it’s inevitable that you’ll have to deal with picky eating at some point. Most kids go through a fussy period when they are around 18 months old and again at around their third birthday. These phases can be challenging for parents who want to see their children eat a wide variety of healthy foods. Even if your child is willing to try new things (and trust us, they will), they may not like the taste or texture of certain foods when they first try them. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to get creative in order to help your child expand their palate without making them feel like you’re forcing them to eat something that makes them uncomfortable.

How to Help Your Child Expand Their Palate

When children have been eating the same things for years, it can become easy to lose their palate for variety. If your child has a bland or restricted diet, the risk of nutrient deficiencies can increase. This can lead to your child having a negative association with eating, which can affect their ability to grow and thrive. You may want to try different approaches. Your pediatrician may recommend dietary supplements if your child doesn’t get enough from their diet. First, make sure your child is not ill or suffering from an ongoing health condition such as GERD or a food allergy. Once you rule that out, you can start to make changes. By rotating their selection of foods and choosing new ones, it may spark their palate and help them get interested in trying something new.

Introduce New Foods Slowly

Kids learn to eat the way they live: in a relaxed environment where they have plenty of time to explore and play. Food preparation that may seem simple to you can be a daunting experience for a child. If you try to feed them something new while they’re feeling rushed, they may choke. If you try to feed them something new while they’re feeling stressed, they might shut down. To make sure your child is properly prepared to eat new foods, take things slowly. If your child is younger than 2 years old, you’ll want to wait until they’re ready to start feeding themselves before you introduce new foods. If your child is at least 2 years old, you’ll want to start the process of introducing new foods to them. Start by making their regular meals a bit more interesting. Try adding a new food item to a meal once a day. If your child doesn’t like that food, don’t try it again for at least a week.

Start with Condiments

You’ve probably used ketchup on a hot dog, or some sort of sauce on a sandwich before. This is an easy way to introduce an entirely new taste sensation to your child without them even knowing it. This approach can be especially helpful if your child has a mild food allergy. For example, if your child is allergic to peanuts, serving them a peanut butter sandwich can be a bit overwhelming. It’s also important to remember that allergies can develop later in life, even if your child has never shown signs of an allergy before. A mild allergy is almost always something that your child can continue eating after being introduced to it. Mild allergies can range from vomiting or diarrhea to a mild rash. If your child has a severe allergy, you’ll need to call their doctor to get advice on what to do.

Try Combining Food Scents

When you’re trying to expand your palate as an adult, you might notice that certain scents and smells can trigger a memory of a specific taste or flavour. You can use this knowledge to your advantage when you’re trying to expand your child’s palate. For example, if your child is reluctant to try broccoli, you can try to fool their senses by steaming broccoli and preparing garlic bread at the same time. The scent of garlic can help your child associate the smell with the taste of bread. This trick may not work for everyone, so you can experiment with different scents until you find one that works for your child. Keep in mind that this method will only work if your child can actually smell the scent. If your child has a cold or allergies that make their nose stuffy, this method may not work for them.

Serve Children Small Portions of Everything

This is something you should do even if your child isn’t picky. Children should start small and work their way up. This applies to any food they are trying, even if they have already tried it and liked it before. You should never force your child to eat a certain food, but you should try to get them to try a small portion of it. For example, if you’re serving spaghetti, try serving your child a small portion of the spaghetti. If they like it, you can try serving them a larger portion. If they dislike it, you don’t have to feel bad. If you have a fussy eater, try serving one small portion of everything on the table, even if your child has eaten it before. This gets around the issue of your child not eating something they’ve tried before out of stubbornness. They may feel like they’re missing out if they don’t eat what everyone else is eating.

Don’t Give Up!

Kids love routines, so try to provide them with the same meals at the same times every day. This helps them feel more secure and lets them know that the same things happen every day, which makes them feel safe. If your child is resistant to trying new foods, try serving something from their regular routine. Keep trying until they try it. It may take several days or weeks, but they will eventually try something new. There will be times when you feel like you’re getting nowhere and your kid is completely being stubborn and unwilling to try anything. That’s okay! Just remember not to give up and keep trying.

The Best Foods for Kids to Get Them To Eat A Wide Variety of Dishes

When you’re trying to expand your child’s palate, it can be helpful to select foods that have other benefits as well. For example, the iron found in beans and legumes can help kids with iron deficiency. This is something that all kids are at risk for. Similarly, vitamin C can help prevent illness and reduce the duration of an illness when your child does get sick. Some of the best foods for kids to get them to eat a wide variety of dishes are listed below.

Beans and Legumes

Beans and legumes are packed with protein, fibre, and tons of vitamins and minerals. It’s important to select a variety of beans and legumes to help get your child all the different vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. The best way to do this is to serve a variety of beans and legumes at every meal. Some good examples of beans and legumes include black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lentils. Try mixing and matching different types of beans and legumes at every meal. You can serve them with rice, pasta, or on their own. Beans and legumes are super versatile, so there are lots of ways you can serve them. Beans and legumes also come in different flavours, such as spicy, so you can find the taste your child prefers.

Vegetables of All Shapes and Sizes

Kids love to eat French fries, but that doesn’t make them good for you. While it’s fine to indulge them with the occasional unhealthy treat, it’s important to make sure they are getting their veggies, too. Some vegetables have vitamins and minerals that kids are prone to lacking, while others have anti-inflammatory properties that can help prevent illness. Serving your child a variety of different types of vegetables at every meal is the best way to get them all the vitamins and minerals they need. Some good examples of vegetables include carrots, broccoli, spinach, and sweet potatoes. Try mixing and matching different types of vegetables at every meal. You can serve them with pasta, rice, or on their own. Vegetables are super versatile, so there are lots of ways you can serve them. Some vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, come in different colours and shapes, too, so you can mix up the way you serve them.

Conclusion

Consult your pediatrician if you have concerns about your child's diet. They can offer advice and ensure that your child is receiving all the nutrients required for growth and development. Additionally, bear in mind that toddlers who are finicky eaters typically go through natural developmental stages. Try your best to gently lead them in the direction of a nutritious diet.