How to help a picky eater

Article

Oct 26, 2020

5 mins

Wondering how to help a picky eater? Developing a palate takes time. So we’ve prepared a menu of useful tips to help turn your picky eater into a food lover.

Stick to regular mealtimes. Routine is reassuring for young children.
Serve small meals and offer more later —large portions can be overwhelming.
Use colours and shapes to make the food fun and attractive.
Try to make mealtimes fun by involving your toddler with meal preparation or chatting with them about the colors and textures of the food.
Be positive. Praise your toddler when they’re eating well, don’t criticize or punish when not.
Offer new tastes gradually. One at a time and in small amounts.
Try not to rush mealtimes as some toddlers eat very slowly.
Eat together as a family as much as possible. Toddlers learn just as much by watching what you do, from table manners to savoring food and trying different things.
Encourage them to feed themselves, it might help finger foods be accepted more easily. You can deal with the mess later.
For more on preventing picky eating, read our 14 ways to raise a toddler with healthy-eating habits.