Picky Eaters
Do you have a picky eater at home? I do. My daughter is a year and a half and she is verypicky. She prefers carbs, like rice, noodles and bread, over vegetables and meat. She has always been picky but for the past month she has been refusing to eat anything other than carbs and fruits. It has definitely been a struggle.
But I can’t really blame her because I, myself, am a picky eater also. Very guilty of it. I don’t eat cheese, chocolate or onions and I don’t drink coffee. I don’t like trying new foods and I like to see what is in my food (e.g. I’m not a big fan of spring rolls because the filling is usually a mixture of things I can’t identify).
I prefer bland foods over those with flavour and spices. That’s how boring and picky I am. And I am a lover of carbs, just like her. But I also love my fruits, vegetables and meat. But I just stick to the few varieties I like.
I guess she gets it from me. But it is so frustrating when you have a growing toddler who is refusing to eat from each food group in Canada's food guide. It is important that she gets all her nutritional needs in order to grow and be healthy. She's only in the 20th percentile of her age group.
I asked my mom for advice but she cannot recall how she dealt with my pickiness. So, I’ve decided to turn to books and some websites for help.
Here are some books about picky eaters:
There are also books about healthy eating for children:
These books look at the effects of food on children’s health and behaviour:
Here are some helpful online resources:
Apparently, this is a common phase in children. Hopefully it doesn't last too long. I guess in the mean time I need to be patient and try to find what else she enjoys to eat. Hopefully that will include some vegetables and meats so she can have a balanced diet.Do you have a picky eater? What are some of the things you’ve done to encourage your child to eat?
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