Welcome to my From Picky to Powerful Series filled with research, tips, and tools aimed at helping children learn and grow with food
Have your child help prepare meals.
Check.
Check.
Don’t do anything.
Check.
Garden, decorate fun plates and be a role model.
Check. Check. Check.
I often hear from parents who have tried everything and still see no change in their picky eaters. Because it’s been three years since I wrote my original picky eating series, I thought it was time to address the topic from a different angle, one that deals with the reality of what do when things don’t get better over time.
So what started out a singular post that was way too long, has turned into a series. This series will address 5 key barriers that keep picky eating alive or simply make it last longer than necessary. Some of these stumbling blocks are obvious and others are not.
The first thing we will discuss is a child’s development and how it affects eating. It’s important for parents to see eating through the prism of their child’s development, instead of blaming themselves or their child. Having a long-term view of a child’s development can be a lifesaver for parents. And appreciating the daily benefits of positive feeding practices beyond what a child eats helps a great deal too.
Next, we will get into red flags of picky eating and how to tell what’s normal and what’s not. I will build off this post with information I’ve learned about problem feeders and how parents can get help if they suspect their child has any underlying issues affecting eating.
The third post will address pressure and prompting at the family table. This can be hard to stop, especially when a child is thin and doesn’t eat much. Some parents are in the vicious cycle of “if I don’t make them eat, they won’t.” We will go deeper into why pressure backfires in picky children, especially as they get older.
Even when parents don’t think they are pressuring their children, they often show pressure in non-verbal ways. We’ll talk about how not feeling accepted for eating capabilities can color a child’s eating, self worth and the relationship between parent and child. When the feeding relationship suffers so does a child’s eating.
The second-to-last post will go into the type of food exposure a child gets. Too much? Too little? Controlled? A parent’s exposure strategy can make or break food acceptance over time so we’ll get into the specifics.
And the last post includes the fruit of my labor, my book From Picky to Powerful. It includes all the information in this series plus much more.
Before I get started, I want to hear from you. If you have been following this blog since my last series, what changes have you seen in your child? What is your biggest challenge when it comes to picky eating? Now’s your time to speak up.
Posts Included in the Series:
1. What to do When Picky Eating Doesn’t Get Better (Intro)
2. The Most Overlooked Reasons Kids Stay Picky Eaters [Next]
3. How to Tell if Picky Eating is Normal, or Not
4. How to Tell if Pressure is the Culprit
5. Five Small Changes that Can Make Picky Eating Much Better
6. The 10 Golden Rules for Exposing Kids to Food
7. Introducing my New Book: From Picky to Powerful
Want this entire picky-eating series plus new content, research, and stories? Get my book From Picky to Powerful
Will this series be applicable to children with autism, as well?
Yes. Especially the third post about problem feeders.
I feel a bit at my wits end with the picky eating. I have tried all the above and have now reached the I give up stage. Sadly my husband is still in the, I will force feed you this food phase. So we don’t always see eye to eye on eating. I feel like I am doing everything right. My oldest 10 yrs girl, is a pretty ok eater, but my 3 yrs boy is horrible. We stick to the one bite rule and he usually will eat his one bite of veggies or meat without too much fuss but he would eat sugary snacks and candy and pasta all day long if he could. Our biggest problem lies in the fact that my in laws watch him during the day and pretty much let his do/eat as he pleases. W have spoken to them but it is hard to judge when they are set in their ways and offering up free child care. Any advice you could give will be helpful. Also advice from the males side and how to get them on board with these planes.
Thank you!
Kathryn,
Thanks for your comment! Three year’s old is one of the toughest ages and I will address that in the next post. Sorry to hear about your inlaws. It’s important to have consistency. Once a week isn’t a big deal but it is frequently you want to be on the same page. This is good food for thought as I write the rest of the series!
My daughter has made some strides since I started reading this blog a couple of years ago. The constant reminders not to pressure and that picky eating is one stage of normal development have really helped. She even told the doctor at her well check to check her taste buds and see how much they’ve grown! That’s how we frame it at home when she doesn’t care for something the rest of us like, that her taste buds are still growing like the rest of her and will get there. And she can see the proof of that when she likes a food that she didn’t used to. So it becomes a fun game like marking her height on the door frame. Her food development usually happens when we visit my family in Louisiana. Of course the food is always good there! But there’s something about being in an unfamiliar setting that’s stimulating to her. She’s generally adventurous and looks for new experiences all the time so I’m happy that extends to food.
The one thing that bugs me is when she doesn’t eat much at dinner (even preferred foods) and then asks for a bedtime snack or dessert pretty quick after. We usually don’t have dessert after dinner, but there are, of course, exceptions, so I think she’s just testing to see if it’s one of those nights. She does get a bedtime snack of dry cereal if she’s hungry at bedtime which is fine. In my head I’m thinking, “Of course you’re hungry, you hardly ate at dinner!” Dinner is at 5:30-6 and bedtime is 7, so not a huge span, but she says she’s hungry and I don’t want to withhold food. That’s our challenge right now, and I know it’ll pass, but there really are starving children in Africa!
Katie — glad to hear things are going well. How old is your daughter? Once children get in the preschool age they usually don’t need the bedtime snack. Since your dinner is close to bedtime she might be holding out. If you decide to take the bedtime snack away, let her know first.
I am really looking forward to reading this. We have an extremely picky 5 year old and have done all the above–including feeding therapy. We are now in the do nothing stage and feed only preferred foods. Our options are narrowing as it seems like every day a preferred food gets crossed off the list. He is hungry quite often and I am running out of ideas! Thanks for delving deeper into this issue.
Have you tried offering new foods while having his preferred ones nearby? We’ll touch on one of the posts!
Gee, where do I begin. 1) They hardly ever try anything new and if they do they don’t like it, even if it’s a cookie. 2) I try to offer a variety of foods, pairing familiar foods with new ones, but they only ever eat the same old familiar foods. 3) If I offer something they tolerate but don’t like, they’ll eat a little and then get hungry and crabby later. (And frankly I can’t blame them. If someone fed me a dinner I didn’t like, I’d eat a little and then come back later for a big snack myself.) But I’m not talking Brussels Sprouts and liver. I mean offering rice, which they tolerate (with a stir fry they won’t eat) instead of offering pasta, which they like (with a sauce they won’t eat). I keep trying to follow the advice but nothing much changes and my kids survive on pasta and strawberries.
How old our your children?
I have an 11 year old son who has never eaten more than chicken nuggets, and peanut butter and honey sandwiches as his main food items. (Throw in some yogurt, pancakes, mango Naked Juice, and any kind of dry cereal or cracker, chocolate milk, carnation instant breakfast) No pasta, no rice, no potatoe no veggie, no fruit, no meat, no beans. We’ve had him tested by OT (no issues identified), and tried feeding therapy (expensive and no real progress), along with all the other tricks and suggestions I’ve ever come across. A second opinion by a pediatrician told us that we need to step up our parenting and stop letting him manipulate us. . and go cold turkey. We attempted a variation of this (taking away his crutch foods that have no nutritional value, and giving him the basics he normally eats, only varied), and he basically ate nothing for 2 days, then just enough to get him by for another 2 days. He told his sister he’d rather die than eat food he doesn’t like. It was horrible and scarey for us as parents, and we quit and went back to doing nothing. All our efforts to change his food preferences or stretch his tolerance felt like we were only creating new eating disorders by making such a big deal out of it. It gets particularly frustrating on vacations, when his regular foods are hard to find, and he becomes even more rigid and unwilling to eat anything slightly different, and ends up eating primarily soda, chips and french fries, or not eating enough and not having enough energy or getting moody. His growth has been on track (mostly because I think we’ve been careful to supplement in order to get a basically balanced diet), but he eats very small portions (unless it is crackers or pretzels, and then if left to his own devices . .which is not very often. . .he will eat the whole bag) So I am interested to hear what you have to say about what to do when things don’t get better with time!
Thanks Kristin. I will keep this in mind while writing and interviewing experts. Do you still eat together as a family so he has the opportunity to eat something new even if that means his crutch foods are nearby?
Kirsten I know what you are going thru my 11 yr old son is the same way. he wont even try anything else he only eats chicken nuggets, pizza, pizza rolls and maybe a few other things. he has ADHD so he is on medicine but it does not keep him from eating he just wont try anything else. And forcing them does not work we have tried everything also. It is hard to go out to eat if they dont have chicken nuggets or chicken strips. So I feel for ya cause im going thru the same thing too
Wonderful! As a feeding therapist, I am always happy to see more education going on in this area. Looking forward to your posts to share with my community. I especially love that you are covering it from all angles which is something I also do: there are MANY different types of “picky eaters” and many children need much, much more assistance than what is typically “out there” for picky eaters.
This is such a frustrating thing for me. I started out my parenting journey by reading “Feeding with Love and Good Sense,” By Ellen Satter. I loved it and was determined to not create feeding issues with my daughter.(children.) She had a very difficult time nursing, but eventually got the hang of, despite not really ever loving it. But the time she started into solids, she started falling off her growth curve pretty quickly. She struggled with solids and was hardly willing to eat anything. I probably should have taken her to a food therapist, but figured I had done my research and she would eventually catch up. Fast forward seven years. She is extremely tiny for her age. About 42 inches, 37 pounds. She had come a long way….I never thought she would eat a turkey and cheese sandwich, but she does now. But she still hardly likes any food unless it’s complete junk food. (And I haven’t tried to make those sound bad) She would rather go hungry than eat food she doesn’t love. I can relate to that, but we can’t all have our favorite foods every night. I have only very recently been testing out the, “you need to eat x amount of food before you can have dessert.” Which I have never done in the past, but I am so desperate.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. It’s a very negative thing for us these days and very discouraging. Especially since I imagined being on a great path. Now I feel like I should just do what every other parent does and make her eat?
Thank you for doing this series. I really do love your website!
Jessica,
I hope to shed light on all the potential underlying issues that can contribute to picky eating. You might want to consider taking her to a pediatric dietitian if you concerned about growth. I hope my series will help!
Great! I desperately need help my 6yo daughter is overweight she doesnt
Eat much at dinner but snacks all the time and is always hungry. She plays alot of sport though. We have got into the snacking habit because her older brother was v underweight until he was diagnosed with coeliac and i was advised to give him lots of snacks to help him put on weight! I cant give him a snack and not her! He does like salad veges & fruit but she doesnt. Arrr! Help!
Kat,
Structure with eating works well with all types of kids so you may want to consider moving to more structure meals and snacks (at the table). We will discuss that too.
I was so excited to read your book and it has helped me so much. I feel like we are still in the “honeymoon” phase of this no pressure way of eating. We are just coming out of a year of food allergies to gluten and soy so there were lots of forbidden foods during that time. Since my children can now decide how much, my oldest who is 10, no longer eats anything she doesn’t want, including fruit and some veggies that she used to. When we have treats and they decide how much, they can hardly believe it and eat until it is gone. I understand they are learning now, but I wonder how long it might take before things kind of settle down and the treats become less exciting and my daughter might eat some of fruits and veggies again. She eats some, just not what she used to.
Kim,
It’s hard to predict how long it will take but you will kind of tell when the novelty wears off. You 10 year old is the perfect age to get in the kitchen which can pique interest in food. The recipes in the school-age section of Fearless Feeding are meant for children to make themselves.
I have a situation similar to Kristin (post above). My 11 year old is getting more picky over time instead of less picky. We are down to chicken nuggets (and only 1 or 2 particular brands), popcorn, blueberries, strawberries, and saltine crackers. Our pediatrician said basically the same thing as Kristin described, with the same results. The extreme moodiness when he does not eat was just not worth it, and he is underweight, so my thinking is that he is better off eating something, even if it is not the most healthy food. We also have a particularly hard time on vacations. I was picky as a child, so I can understand to an extent. But, this behavior is more extreme, and there doesn’t seem to be a lot a resources out there for this situation. We have tried the one bite rule (or even one lick), but he refuses & gets angry. I would love to hear more from the experts on this issue. Thanks.
Amy,
You are right that there aren’t many resources, especially for older children who get more picky over time. Will definitely cover this and please comment if you feel you need more guidance!
We have 5 children with very different tastes and eating personalities. I’m most concerned about my 7 1/2 year old son. Starting at the beginning of the year, we took away his PB&Js at dinnertime–they used to be his fallback if he didn’t like the dinner. I try to plan meals with at least one food he likes, while making sure they meet everyone else’s needs and tastes. I feel like it’s going to take a LONG time to change his eating habits because we waited so long to do it. My main challenge is to be unified with my husband in not pressuring and judging food.
I have a friend with a 5-year-old who is EXTREMELY picky. He will go days without eating anything and he will not mention hunger. He will pass up sweets because they don’t look right. The way she describes it, he will eat foods by color (only white or pink), but not always. He will eat boiled egg white, but only if there is no remnant of the yolk left at all. She has to rinse the white so there is no yellow or gray residue. As a baby he ate everything. I look forward to any advice. She is currently is the do nothing/give in phase. She cooks separately for him and makes sure his food looks perfect before she presents it.
Hello – I have 3 girls. The middle child is nearly 11 and weighs 55 pounds. She is very strong, but tiny. She is a self declared vegetarian strictly for the reason that she cannot stand to eat meat. She loves fruit/nuts/yogurt and bread, but is constantly seeking out sugar and juice. I struggle to find foods to keep her full with a house full of picky eaters. My husband is a very plain eater with no vegetables consumed. My youngest will eat about 20 things and that’s it. Any suggestions that don’t involve making 4 different meals will be great! Thank you
Vicki — you are at the right place. There will be lots of tips and food for thought!
Just found you today. A friend recommended your website and I am anxious to read your up coming articles. My 4 year old son is a very picky eater and has been since he started table food. Reading all the other comments is comforting to know I am not alone in dealing with this. As I read your beginning, yes that is us exactly and even more. We have tried everything, growing a garden, punishment, rewards, ignore it and just let him eat his usual foods, hiding pureed vegetables into foods he will eat, and cooking together. Just yesterday I created a food plate chart with my son. We labeled each section (protein, grains, vegetables, fruits) and placed pictures in each section of the healthy things he likes to eat. There are not many foods included and the hope is to add new foods to the chart. We have it hanging in the kitchen so he can see it and hopefully add to it. I have been told by pediatricians that he is an independent child and strong willed. Yes, while I agree he is, I have been able to find other ways to work with his independent mind in all other areas except his food issues. My son is always on the lower end of the growth chart in weight however the doctors felt at his 4 year he was growing ok. He will be 5 in December, and I decided just to check him on the scale today and found he has actually lost a pound since his 4 year well care visit last December. At what point should I be concerned to take him in again? I constantly go back and forth between telling myself its normal and then feeling again that it is not. In addition to this a couple months ago we were at the doctor for his diarrhea and the doctor felt it was encopresis. Looking for any answers and help I can get!
Thanks for joining us Maria. I hope this series will help you figure out what you want to do next with your son. Although if you suspect growth is an issue, you might want to take him early to the pediatrician. And a referral to pediatric dietitian may also be needed. Are you giving him a multivitamin with minerals?
I can’t wait to read this series. We have four kids, aged 5-13. I have used the same philosophy with all of them: when they are hungry enough, they will eat. All of them went through a picky phase but when they started getting active in sports, they got hungry enough to start eating what I make. We eat much healthier than most of the families in our community and I find the biggest challenge, BY FAR, is the peer pressure from friends. Our kids are pitied because they don’t get junk in their lunches, don’t have soda in the house, don’t eat the name brand boxed mac n cheese, etc. We have family, friends and neighbors who give them junk out of pity and then the kids don’t want to eat what we serve at home.
Hello! I am excited about the upcoming series. I am using your Picky Eater series as research for a nutrition lesson I’m developing for early childhood professionals in Arkansas. When will you post more information? Thanks so much!
Great! Next post coming this week (hopefully tomorrow)
That’s awesome! Thank you so much.
My oldest, was the best eater. Once he went into daycare, and preschool he increasingly became pickier with eating. He is small very small for his age… In the 3rd percentile for weight and in the 20 something percentile for height. He is now 10. He will eat some odd, and healthy choices compared to his peers… However, he literally dissects his proteins and creates two piles on his plate of what he considers edible and nonedible parts of the chicken, fish, beef, etc…mind you after I have already painstakingly gone through the process of getting all the bad pieces off. It is embarrassing. It is frustrating.
He says he wants to change, but doesn’t know how. I get the same advice from dr every visit. Introduce new foods, garden, grocery shop together, have him help prepare food, have something he will eat on the plate, let him choose amounts of food to eat…
He loves carbs and anything sugary. He is limited on those items because he eats so little. I wish the dr was more helpful…just the same recycled info each visit. It is frustrating… And has acid reflux.
I would get an evaluation. For links and resources at the end of this post http://www.maryannjacobsen.com/2013/08/the-nagging-question-every-parent-of-a-picky-eater-asks-part-2/
I have and almost 2 year old daughter in 2 months and she hardly eats . she eats little bites here and there but I am concerned because she’s beginning to get dark under eyes and a white spot on her cheek . she looks like she hasn’t slept and I don’t know what to do anymore about her not eating . when she drinks her milk in the night I add a scoop of breakfast essentials to make up for not eating to well but I still feel it isnt enough . what can I do . please help .
I would get her into her pediatrician early (most see the doctor at birthdays) to check her growth etc. The first step is seeing if she’s growing properly. Then, maybe a referral to a pediatric dietitian. Don’t delay getting help!
ok so my son was good with baby food up until 9 months when we started solids. He didn’t like it at all. He didn’t like touching food or getting his hands dirty. Now, at 3 years old he is still very picky. He only eats chicken nuggets from Mc donalds about twice a week, pop tarts everyday, peanut butter crackers, and he loves cake, sometimes pancakes. When I’m cooking he doesn’t like the smell of the food. He doesn’t like being around the family when we’re eating. we can’t go into restaurants. He won’t even smell a new type of food. He doesn’t like to help cook because he dislikes his hands getting dirty, he will mix things with a spoon. but if he doesn’t like the smell he runs away. I in the stage where I am giving up, it’s too stressful.
Oh pediatrician tells me to starve him out until he eats what I give him.
It sounds like a sensory issue. I would get him evaluated by a feeding therapost. At the end of this post there is a list of resources. http://www.maryannjacobsen.com/2013/08/the-nagging-question-every-parent-of-a-picky-eater-asks-part-2/
I would not do what the pediatrician recommends
Maryann, did this book or series ever happen? I really feel like i need it.
I have an 11 year old boy that is underweight and burns through calories via competitive soccer and other activities. He barely eats throughout the day and just says he isn’t hungry if he doesn’t like (or want) what’s on his plate. He absolutely refuses to try any new foods. I was a thin kid when I was younger, and not overweight as an adult, but I ate anything in my path. He seems to get tired faster than the other kids on the field, but pushes through it. Since his metabolism is similar to mine, I am really concerned he isn’t getting enough nutrition, calories, protein, etc..
I hate saying it, but his pediatrician has just been saying “he’ll grow out of it” since he was 3 and I am pretty over trusting that advice. He has gotten worse.
Yes it did. Here is the post about whether your child’s picky eating is problematic or not http://www.maryannjacobsen.com/2013/08/the-nagging-question-every-parent-of-a-picky-eater-asks-part-2/
It sounds like if he’s 11 and its getting worse you might want to get him evaluated.
There’s also my e-book From Picky to Powerful that puts it all together. http://www.amazon.com/Picky-Powerful-Transform-Outlook-Battles-ebook/dp/B00P4TN356/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441049550&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=from+pcky+to+powrful
Unfortunately, pediatricians are not very familiar with red flags for picky eating. This is another resource too http://www.amazon.com/Helping-Child-Extreme-Picky-Eating-ebook/dp/B00TZE87UW/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0H07DCWJ7JGN9HMZ8ATF&dpSrc=sims&dpST=_AC_UL320_SR214%2C320_
My 10 year old son has gotten to the point where he won’t eat any vegetables, the only fruit is applesauce, and very few items from the other food groups. He is tall and sickly thin. We are concerned about his health and need advice.
Thank you
Amy
I would schedule an appt with pediatrician and check growth. If the pediatrician is concerned, a referral to pediatric dietitian might be needed.
My 4 year old Granddaughter has had medical tests on her stomach, feeding therapy. Anything medical has been ruled out as to why she is a terrible eater and feeding therapy has been a waste of time and money. The therapist can’t even get her to eat. Her parents give her vitamin supplements but I’m VERY concerned that although she SEEMS healthy I don’t know how she can be or stay healthy! She loves milk and apple juice but will not drink water. Very stubborn and no matter what we try to get her to try new foods or drink water she won’t have any part of it. I have given up asking the question, how to get her to eat but am more concerned about her health. The doctors just don’t seem that concerned but HOW can she be healthy when she eats nothing nutritious? I’m just waiting for her health to decline suddenly because she cannot continue like this right?
Susan.
Sorry your granddaughter is having a hard time. Have you read Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating? It might help you and your granddaughter. http://www.extremepickyeating.com/
My son is turning eight all he eats is cereal eggs pancakes bacon waffles fruit raw vegetables like green beans spinach kale cucumbers and different color peppers he won’t eat meat except for salami and kielbasa it’s embarrassing at family dinners when all he eats is salad how do I get him to eat meat and cooked food I have tried everything
I would read the rest of the series on picky eating. It is all summarized with additional information in my book From Picky to Powerful. It doesn’t sound like your son has growth issues. The key is not to use pressure and continue to serve a variety of foods. Give him regular duties in the kitchen to get hands on experience an din time he will branch out. The more you pressure the worse it will get. For more on pressure see this post: http://www.maryannjacobsen.com/2013/09/what-children-secretly-wish-their-parents-would-stop-doing-at-mealtime-part-3/
My son is 9. He is 4’6 and weighs 92 lbs, so growth is not an issue. I’ll admit that I’ve bribed, pressured, forced, etc. in the past when it comes to his eating so I know that I’m partly to blame for his picky habits, but I do not do that anymore. The only rule I have is that you can’t complain about what is served. I, too, was a bit picky as a child and my mother didn’t pressure me so who’s to say. My son eats a good variety of foods but rarely wants to try something new unless it is a sweet type thing. My question is…I fix one meal and you eat or don’t. I do try to include at least one thing my son likes, but then he often is still hungry because he didn’t want to eat the other things served. If there is more available of what he likes I let him have another serving, but if not then I haven’t offered him anything else. Is this the best thing to do? I’m afraid if I offer fruit or veggies that weren’t included in the meal to him when he’s still hungry then he would just use that as a plan for avoiding trying new foods. Thanks!
Hi I’ve two boys 14 and 11 my 14 year old was bottle fed and weaned on good wholesome home made cooked meals . He eats and try’s most things however he has allergy to peanuts , my 11 year old was breast fed for 12 months then weened exactly the same with home made meals although very picky , he is getting worse . He has a very sweet tooth and I worry about his diet he east fish fingers chicken fillets and roast chicken he likes chicken nuggets smiley faces , Yorkshire puddings , carrots two sweet potato and swede mashed together, I worry he eats to much prossesed food and not enough fresh . How can I get them both to improve their diets . Linda
Linda, do you have family meals? Do you make meals or does he feed himself?
My son is 9. He weighs 140lbs. He only eats cold cut sandwiches, toast, cheese burgers, fried chicken, French fries, chips, cookies, and chocolate milk. That is his complete diet. He will not eat anything at school for lunch unless he packs his lunch from home. I have tried everything under the sun, for the last 3 years and I cannot change this cycle. I am in tears writing this because I feel like it’s all my fault for allowing it to get this bad. His weight is causing him serious health problems. The kids at school make fun of him and calls him weird because he will not eat lunch with the other kids during lunch time. I refuse to let him take lunch to school thinking it will force him to eat regular food like everyone else. Instead he waits until he gets home and over eats to make up for skipping lunch. He will not eat any vegetables or fruits. He doesn’t eat pizza or peanut butter and jelly or any kind of cereal. I waste money and food trying to get him to eat better. I am all out of options and if I don’t do something soon, I feel like he could easily get sicker and die. What do I do now? Please help me. Please
I’m sorry you are having such a hard time. I think at this point it’s best to see someone and go for a feeding evaluation. I would start with a pediatric dietitian to be sure his growth and nutrition is on track. You can find resources at the end of this post http://www.maryannjacobsen.com/2013/08/the-nagging-question-every-parent-of-a-picky-eater-asks-part-2/
My daughter is now almost 5, for the past 2 years has refused any and all veggies.
I hide them in food so she does get them, I also put them right in front of her but don’t make a big deal of it.
I don’t force her to try one bite.
I don’t ignore in the sense that I talk about why it’s really important to eat vegetables, but I don’t make it into a big issue.
Everyone else in the house models good eating habits (including her brothers).
She eats a good-acceptable variety of proteins, fruits and grains, so the issue is just veggies.
I’m worried that she will not outgrow this. Looking forward to your series.
Hi Rachel. The series is complete. Just go to the end of the post and you will see all of the future posts.
It is pretty common for 5-year-olds not to eat many vegetables. they can meet nutrition needs with a variety of fruit and other foods. One thing I suggest is not to hide the veggies but show her how you add it to food she likes. that is the first step in helping her see veggies in a positive light. It sounds like you are doing a good job and I’m sure as she gets older she will branch out. The series has lots of tips as does my book From Picky to Powerful