Stating food preferences
You shop for groceries with the best nutrition in mind. You pour over recipes that should appeal to the kids. You spend the day planning a pleasant meal with the family. Finally, you present your efforts with every hope that gratitude will be the family's first response.
And the first words out of your four-year-old's mouth? "I don't like that!" The baby shoves his plate on the floor and your eleven-year-old, trying to be kind, says, "Really, mom, can we just have pizza?"
What a crushing blow, a frustration beyond description! You want to scream, but you cry instead. Your husband is indignant, even angry. Harsh words start to gush out and before you know it, your whole day of anticipation goes up in smoke.
What are you going to do now? Force the issue like your parents did with you? Shame the kids with "all those poor kids in China"? Cave in and get a pizza out?
Here. Try these simple steps for managing picky appetites. We have used them for many years -- with almost 100% success.
1a) Ask the child to taste "the smallest little piece" and say.
1b) "Tell me what you think."
2a) If he says, "I don't care for it, " thank him for trying and leave it at that.
2b) If he says he likes it, ask him if he would like some more.
3a) If he says "yes, " give him lots of praise for his cooperation.
3b) If he says "no, " thank him for trying the food and let him go on to what he does like.
This simple plan can dissolve loads of stress at mealtime and will lay a foundation of trust that will encourage willing cooperation in the future.
But wait; here are several background notes:
1a) "The smallest little piece" can mean a very small amount, even ¼ of one pea, .or, just putting a piece of the food on the tongue for a few seconds.
1b) "Tell me what you think " is a neutral request without any slant or bias.
2a) Teach the children that the only acceptable negative response to food is, "I don't care for it," not "I don't like it."
2b) Graciously accept a child's opinion about the food. This helps the child trust you the next time.
3a) Most children are surprisingly honest about food when they discover they do like it after all.
3b) Finally, limit the serving sizes of foods that he likes to the same that he would get if he had eaten the whole meal.
Using this plan, almost every child who has ever attended our school in the last 17 years has not only tolerated such things as spinach, broccoli and cauliflower. They end up liking them! We hope the same for you and your family.
