Picky Eating

What’s normal

• Picky eating is very common ages 1–5
  
  

• Appetite often goes up and down day to day
  
  

• It can take 10–20+ exposures before a child accepts a new food
  
  (seeing it counts — they don’t have to eat it right away)
  
  

The #1 rule: Structure > Pressure

Parents choose: what, when, where

Child chooses: how much (or whether)

Try not to:

• force bites
  
  

• bargain (“3 bites then dessert”)
  
  

• chase them around with food
  
  

• make separate meals every time
  
  

Pressure usually makes picky eating worse.

Best meal routine

• Stick to 3 meals + 2–3 snacks
  
  

• Avoid constant grazing
  
  

• Offer meals at the table (or high chair), no screens if possible
  
  

• Meals should last about 15–25 minutes
  
  

• If they don’t eat much: stay calm → food goes away until next snack/meal
  
  

“Safe Food” strategy (works!)

At every meal, include:

• 1 safe food they usually eat (ex: fruit, bread, cheese, yogurt)
  
  

• 1–2 family foods they’re learning
  
  

This reduces battles while still expanding variety.

Milk + drinks (big picky eating trigger)

Too much milk/juice kills appetite.

Typical goal:

• Milk: ~16–20 oz/day max
  
  

• Juice: ideally none (or <4 oz/day)
  
  

• Best drink between meals: water
  
  

Easy “balanced plate” idea (doesn’t have to be perfect)

Aim for a mix over the day/week:

• Protein: eggs, chicken, turkey, beans, yogurt, nut butter
  
  

• Iron foods: meat, fortified cereal, beans, spinach
  
  

• Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, peanut butter
  
  

• Fruit/veg: any kind counts (fresh/frozen/cooked)
  
  

• Carb: pasta, rice, potatoes, bread
  
  

Helpful “micro wins”

These all count as progress:

• touching a new food
  
  

• licking/smelling
  
  

• taking a tiny bite and spitting out
  
  

• having the food on the plate
  
  

Expose without pressure.

 Ways to increase calories (if you’re worried about intake)

Add “boosters” to what they already eat:

• butter/olive oil on pasta, rice, veggies
  
  

• peanut butter on toast/apple slices
  
  

• whole milk yogurt, cheese, hummus
  
  

• smoothies with yogurt + fruit + peanut butter
  
  

Dessert + treats (how to avoid fights)

Pick one approach and be consistent:

• Dessert only on certain days, OR
  
  

• dessert is included in the meal sometimes (small portion) so it loses power
  
  Avoid using dessert as a bribe — it increases picky eating.
  
  

Red flags (call us if you notice these)

• choking/gagging frequently, trouble swallowing
  
  

• weight loss or falling off growth curve
  
  

• vomiting often
  
  

• severe constipation/diarrhea
  
  

• extreme distress with textures/smells
  
  

• only accepts a very tiny number of foods
  
  

• mealtimes are a daily meltdown
  
  

The goal

Not a perfect meal — the goal is a healthy relationship with food + steady growth.

Supplements