FoodPaths - April 2012
The Picky Eaters Project
4th Generation at Play

Children—just like adults — have differences with each other and strong opinions about the foods they eat. What is wonderful one day will be rejected the next. The ideal is to have small portions of different foods on the table and let the child select what he or she wants to taste.

Tips for Parents of Picky Eaters from the Sangiacomo parents:

• Put a variety of vegetables on the table, cooked and fresh.
• Make sure they are cut up in small enough pieces and are age-appropriate.
• Let the child taste and decide what they want to eat.
• If they don’t want any of them, leave them on the table but do not force the child to eat.
• Do not waste anything.  Freeze the leftover ravioli dough and use it for pasta lunch, soup or pasta sprinkled with cheese.
• Every child is different.  What appeals to one may be rejected by another.  Try and have different options on the table at different meal times that will give everyone a choice.
• Eventually something will appeal to the child – but not the same thing every day.