Tips to Help Your Picky Eater
When my kids were younger, our family dinners were often a battle. I would plead for them to try all the healthy foods on their plates, even if they didn’t like how they tasted or felt. But guess what? The incredible Speak Live Play feeding therapy team taught me some cool tricks! Now, I want to share their easy tips with you so you can get your child to try new foods and make mealtime a happy experience for your whole family. Let’s make eating fun and delicious together with feeding therapy!
Take the Focus off the Picky Eater
Sometimes, kids don’t like certain foods; it can make them feel stressed if everyone pays too much attention to what they’re eating. That’s why family dinners are fantastic! Everyone gets the spotlight, not just picky eaters like us. Did you know that a study found something interesting? When caregivers tell kids to eat certain things (like veggies), the kids eat less of those foods. Talking about other things and doing fun activities during mealtime is a good idea. This can help with feeding therapy, which is all about making eating more accessible. Feeding therapy is super important! It’s like getting exceptional help to make food enjoyable and less stressful.
Involve your Child in the Prep Work
Feeding therapy can be beneficial for picky eaters. It can make them more open to trying new and different foods. One way to make it more fun is by talking about the food’s shape, smell, colors, and texture as you cook. You can also explore where the foods came from and how they ended up in your kitchen. This can excite kids about cooking and baking, making mealtime a fun learning experience! Feeding therapy is a great way to make mealtime more enjoyable for everyone!
Consider Presentation and Portion Sizes
When it comes to making mealtime enjoyable for kids who struggle with food, how the food looks and how much is on the plate are essential. Our feeding therapy team at Speak Live Play loves using Sage Spoonfuls’ Sili Elephant plate and the Happy Foodie Stainless Steel Divided Plate. These plates have separate sections, which helps us control how much food is on the plate and keeps different foods from touching each other (because we all know how picky eaters can be!). Plus, the bottom of these plates sticks to the table so they won’t get thrown on the floor. How cool is that? Feeding therapy just got a whole lot more fun and more accessible! Now, our kids can enjoy their meals, and we can help them eat better.
Piggy Back on Foods Your Child Likes
Feeding therapy is very effective in helping kids learn to try new foods. Children are usually more willing to eat foods they already like. You can add similar options to their list of favorites to help them expand what they eat. This way, they can slowly try new and tasty foods. Feeding therapy helps children explore and enjoy different foods, making mealtimes fun!
When helping your child with feeding therapy, it’s essential to look for similarities in the foods they enjoy – things like their feelings, shape, taste, and color. For example, if your child loves chicken nuggets (a favorite among picky eaters), you could offer a different-shaped nugget or a new brand. If your child enjoys yogurt, you can introduce them to a new flavor with the same color and texture as their favorite one.
If you want to try new foods, start by making small changes to foods you already enjoy. Did you know it may take up to 10 times to see a new food before you start eating it regularly? So don’t worry if you don’t like something, keep trying different foods. This is part of feeding therapy, which can make eating more manageable and more fun!
Contact Speak Live Play Today!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s eating habits. At Speak Live Play, our dedicated team is here to provide expert feeding therapy and support. We understand that every child has unique needs, and we are more than happy to discuss specific strategies to enhance mealtimes. Feel free to contact us anytime – we’re here to help!
