Are you the parent of a picky eater, but also a picky eater yourself? You’re not alone.
Most of the time, people believe that picky eating only applies to kids. But kids grow up to be adults. And if the underlying reasons that they had difficulty with food as a child isn’t addressed, they can continue to be struggle with eating as they age.
Why don’t you hear more about adult picky eaters? As we grow, we are better at regulating our bodies and manipulating our environment. This means that not only are we less likely to get upset about foods, but also go out of our way to choose and find foods that we enjoy. For example, an adult is not likely to throw their plate of food on the floor, just because there is a vegetable on it. Additionally, if you do the cooking for your household, you probably will not make food that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Likely, your picky eating shows up in much subtler ways. For instance, you may experience anxiety about attending social gatherings where the menu is out of your control. Or you may struggle to eat a well-balanced and diverse diet, leading to difficult conversions with your healthcare providers.
Picky eating sometimes seems to run in the family. While some food preferences might be hereditary, your mealtime habits can influence how your child feels about food.
For example,
- They don’t have the opportunity to experience a variety of foods: As an adult picky eater, you likely have a couple favorite meals that you are comfortable eating. If you only serve your favorite meals, those are the only foods that your child knows. Children need to be offered a variety of foods and textures in order to learn to like them. Instead, mix it up by making small changes to your favorites. For example, try something like wheat tortillas instead of corn.
- You are their role model: Your child watches and mimics how you respond to food. If you ignore the broccoli on your plate, so will your child. One of the best ways to encourage kids to try new foods is to eat it yourself. This teaches them that the food is safe and invites them to explore it themselves. After all, if you are not eating the broccoli, why should they?
So what else can you do to improve your child’s picky eating, while still be a picky eater yourself?
Here’s my number one tip.
LEARN TOGETHER!
This is a wonderful opportunity for both you and your child to work together on learning new foods. Make it fun by going to the grocery store and picking out one new food that you’ve never tried before. Look up recipes – Pinterest has some awesome ones – and figure out all the different ways you can prepare this food.
As your family tries new foods, you may find that you don’t like them right away. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s perfectly acceptable to let your child know that you are still learning to like a food. In fact, this is a great way to encourage your child to give foods a second chance.
Be patient. Learning to like new foods takes time and practice. You might be surprised to find just how much fun you have exploring foods together!
Dr. Samantha Goldman is an occupational therapist who loves helping kids and adults solve picky eating. For more tips and tricks follow Sam @DrSamGoldman on Instagram!
