Disclaimer: If you want to add any supplemental nutrition for your child, seek medical advice. This blog post is not to replace the advice of a professional nor is to be taken as such.
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. These are my opinions on products that I like.
“My kid will eat all of his food”. “I would never let a child of mine be picky”.” I will never….”
Have you ever heard people, whether they are parents or not, make comments like these? Perhaps, you yourself have made these exact comments in the past. I am here to tell you, that you are not alone. I as well, as many people will admit, have proudly stated all the things that I would never allow a child of mine do… until I had my own.
We find out that things are not as black and white as we initially thought and we truly end up just rolling with the punches and just doing our best. We also learn that not 2 children are the same and you may encounter different challenges with each kid.
One of my children is a picky eater. When he was little, his food wheel was very limited.
No matter how much I tried, he would not eat much of a variety of foods. So, I made the best with what I had. I just rotated his very limited meals to make it seem like there was variety. He was happy to eat his favorite things and I was relieved that he was eating.
Now that he is older, he is more open to more foods and has begun to eat much better. Although he still will not eat mash potatoes, he is open to eating way more things than he has ever eaten before.
Here are some tips that have helped me and that I hope could help you too.
1. Learn what they like
It’s definitely a trial and error process. It may be frustrating at times and upsetting. But figuring out what things they enjoy eating will make it easier for the both of you. Your child will eat and you will have the peace of mind that they have been fed and their tummies are full.
2. Supplement their diet
Since they are not eating a variety of foods, vitamins may be a good idea to include to their diet. Also, if your budget allows, add Pediasure shakes or something similar as well.
My child was so limited in the foods that he was willing to try, that I was always concerned about his nutrition. I implemented Pediasure and it gave me peace of mind. The shake is packed with nutrients which was great because it could fill any holes in nutrition that might be lacking due to his limited diet. He loved the taste of it and was always willing to drink his favorite shake.
3. Talk to your pediatrician
They have seen it all and are a wealth of information to help you navigate this challenge. The Pediatrician can give you advice and set you on the right direction when it comes to the best vitamins and supplements that would best suit your child.
4. School lunch
My child has never been interested in cafeteria food so far. So, I pack his lunches. The roster used to be a little bigger, but he stopped liking the things that he was eating before.
Therefore, I have adapted as well. It feels a little weird to send him to school almost daily with the same lunch but he is happy and eating. That’s what matters.
5. Push away guilt
This is something that I have to constantly remind myself and now I am telling you as well. As moms, we never stop trying to encourage our kids to eat different and healthy foods. But sometimes, our children are just not up for it.
Do not feel guilty about this. You are doing your best. Just think of it this way, is there a food that you just cannot stomach and would not eat no matter what? Of course you do. We all do.
Our kids are the same. Is just that they have more things that they dislike than the ones they enjoy.
6. Push away shame
We may feel a hint of shame when we send our kid to school with a basic lunch every day. We probably wonder if other people around us are judging us by the limited options our kids consume.
Push those thoughts out of your mind. No one knows your kid the way that you do. You know that they are also doing their best to eat, and they want to eat. They also get hungry and want to sit down and gobble down a meal that brings them happiness and satisfy them.
You are doing exactly that. You are feeding your child and helping them get the nutrients that they need.
Know that you are doing a fantastic job and your child thanks you for making his life easier by understanding him.
7. Keep trying
Your child may be picky with his selections of food but that doesn’t mean it will stay that way forever. Keep trying. From time to time, re-introduce them to different foods, different textures and flavors. One day you will be surprised to see that you have unlocked a new meal that you can start feeding them. It will feel like you just found treasure.
8. Ask for support from the people closest to you
I am not going to tell you that this road is an easy one, that it will fly by really fast and you will find support on the people around you.
It can be a hard road and you might find your close ones being very open with their criticism toward you and your child’s eating habits. But just let that slide off of you and remind yourself that they are not in your shoes. Most of the time your loved ones have good intentions and are not trying to put you down. They are just trying to help.
My best friend used to always say that “it takes a village to raise children” and she was so right. So, maybe, you could open up to them and explain to them how you are managing the situation and ask them for their help and encouragement as well.
I know that you may look to the future and wonder if things will get easier. In my case they did. As my child gets older, he has become more open to eating different things and has begun to eat more too.
I know there is hope. And I am here to tell you that it will get better and you got this. You are doing great and I am cheering for you.
