How To Get You Picky Eaters To EAT!
Have you ever sat at a restaurant and I heard a kid losing their minds because their parents are trying to get them to try something new? Have you been that parent with a screaming child trying to convince them just to have one bite?I always promised I would never allow myself to have picky eaters. I thought somehow I could convince my children to do whatever I said.Let’s take a minute and laugh at Kid free, naïve Brittany. She had no clue what was coming to her.Three kids later and I realized picky eaters happen to the best of us. My kids have always grown up with an array of food choices.Typically, my husband and I make quite a few international dishes. One night we will have spaghetti, and the next will have chicken curry. My husband and I love food, and we are always up for trying new things. However, we found ourselves making the kids milder version of those things to get them to eat it. Problem number one.Then we would look at ourselves baffle trying to figure out why they were eating the salad we made for dinner one night. We had created monsters. Picky eating little monsters.Now, our kids eat crazy things like marrow curry, devour tongue curry, and try just about anything.What the heck did we do? How did we take our three picky eaters and get them to experience culture through food? Let me share a few of our tips.
The one-bite rule:
Our kids are expected to try everything at least once. They may not like it, they may never want us to make it again, but they are expected to try at least one bite.One of the biggest reasons kids refuse to try new things is the fear of it. They have no idea what it’s going to taste like so they opt-out. You know we’ve all done it. We’ve all looked in something that looked wild and said quotations no thanks I’m good. QuotationsOur kids do the exact same thing. Help your kids to realize that one bite will not kill them. They will be pleasantly surprised a lot of the time and find new things that they absolutely love.
Lead by example:
Are you a picky eater yourself? I can guarantee if your kids watch you were picky eating antics, they will follow suit. Show your kids that you are willing to try everything, and they will be more adventurous as well.One thing my family and I do when we go out to dinner is always try something new. My husband is a big foodie, so he is always looking for the most exotic thing on the menu. Most of the time, we love it; however, we’ve had those unfortunate moments where we realize something is absolutely disgusting. Either way, it doesn’t matter because we’ve tried something new and it’s made a very fun memory with her kids.
Don’t avoid foods:
For the longest time, I avoided making my kids salad. I love salads, and my husband hates them. I always avoided making them for my family because I assumed they wouldn’t like it. Which means I create a family didn’t like salad.For the longest time, I avoided making my kids salad. I love salads, and my husband hates them. I always avoided making them for my family because I assumed they wouldn’t like it. Which means I create a family didn’t like salad.My aunts and I were making dinner one night and decided to make taco salad. It’s delicious, and they basically have the same thing in a burrito all the time. They were so upset when I told them we were having a salad for dinner. They couldn’t believe I would actually torture them like that. Then they saw their cousins eating it and decided to try.My youngest realized he absolutely loves salads. My other two are not obsessed like I am, but they eat it every time I make it for dinner.If you avoid foods because you think your kids may not like it, you’re only cementing that truth into reality.
Go on adventurous family outings:
The next time you and your family are going to go out for dinner, look for a cuisine you haven’t tried before. Maybe it’s Ethiopian. Maybe it’s Indian. Or maybe it’s Greek. Find something new and make it a family adventure.You may even find a new family favorite!
Start now:
Start your adventurous eating habits tonight for dinner! Try a new recipe that you’ve never tried before and tell your kids they better get ready for an adventure. Need an idea? Try out almond chicken curry.