7 Tips to Deal with Picky Eaters, Do It to Meet Nutritional Needs

Kapanlagi.com - Difficulties in eating children are one of the obstacles often faced by parents in raising children. However, nutritious food intake is very important for children's growth and development. In addition to being picky eaters, children often tend to be too selective in their food choices. Therefore, tips for dealing with picky eaters can be one of the things parents need.

Children tend to only like certain types of food and refuse to eat other types of food. Unfortunately, on average, children tend to dislike nutritious foods such as vegetables and fruits. This can certainly risk the growth of children being disrupted.

However, there is no need to worry because there are several tips for dealing with picky eaters. How to do it? Summarized from various sources, here are the following tips.

1. Provide Nutritious and Varied Food

Tips for dealing with picky eaters (credit: freepik)

Nutritious food is absolutely necessary for children to meet their nutritional needs. Because, with that, children can grow normally. However, providing nutritious food that is always the same may not be effective. Especially, if the child is picky or easily bored with certain foods.

Therefore, in addition to being nutritious, parents should also prepare varied food for children. Variation in this case can include various ingredients, flavors, textures, cooking methods, shapes, and so on. However, of course, nutritional value must still be considered. Nutritional needs such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals must still be met.

2. Create Children's Menu

Dealing with picky eaters can also be done by creating a children's menu. This is still related to the previous tips, to create a varied menu. To make children interested, parents must be creative.

Some children who have difficulty eating tend to eat in small portions. Therefore, making bite-sized meals can be an option. With that, children can feel more free to eat at any time without worrying about not finishing. Although small in size, make sure the bite-sized meals made contain enough nutrients for children.

3. Give Examples

Tips for dealing with picky eaters (credit: freepik)

To teach children to do something, the most effective way is to give direct examples. This is because children tend to imitate the people around them. Therefore, in order to make children like nutritious food, parents must give examples first. This example can be given during meals together.

4. Manage Children's Meal Schedule

Manage children's meal schedule (credit: freepik)

In addition to portion sizes, managing children's meal schedule is also equally important. By managing the meal schedule, children will feel hungry at certain times. When feeling hungry, children usually eat more. In addition, managing meal and snack schedules will also have a positive impact on children's appetite to stay awake.

5. Invite Children to Prepare Meals

Tips to Overcome Picky Eaters (credit: freepik)

Cultivating enthusiasm can also be one of the tips to overcome picky eaters. Parents can invite their children to prepare the food they will consume. Occasionally, involving children in cooking is believed to cultivate their enthusiasm for food. You can try this method while enjoying moments of togetherness with your child.

6. Engaging Education

Tips for dealing with picky eaters (credit: freepik)

It is the responsibility of parents to educate their children and make them aware of many things, including food. It is essential to educate children about the foods they consume and how nutritious food can affect their growth and development.

Choose the best method to educate them, such as games or storytelling. Parents can adjust their educational approach according to each child's interests.

7. Start Introducing Healthy Foods

Continuing from the previous tips for dealing with picky eaters, parents should also actively introduce healthy foods to their children. It cannot be done all at once, this should be done gradually, one by one. Introducing too many foods at once can confuse and make the child not understand.

Of course, this seventh tip will be more effective when combined with interesting examples and methods, like in the previous tips.

Those are some tips for dealing with picky eaters. Good luck, hope it works.

(kpl/psp)