Kids health: how to fool fussy eaters

How to: fool fussy eaters.

Although failing to fool fussy eaters with unfamiliar food sources may prove to be a frustrating process, drawing additional attention to the dishes that they dislike - be it by force feeding or by pin pointing their pickiness - won't convince cautious children to tuck into the tastes and textures that trigger a tantrum.

In fact, force feeding a fussy eater can not only reinforce their refusal not to try the foods that they 'fear' - particularly when they realise that they're receiving additional attention for their bolshy behaviour - but drive them to develop a genuine dislike for the dishes that they've learnt to associate with an aggressive attitude - a psychological problem that pushy parents are prone to creating during early childhood.

Instead of instantly intensifying the insecurities that stem from introducing a new source of nutrition by bombarding your youngster's brain with the belief that they 'have' to try a new taste or texture, get clever and creative by combining your children's favourite foods with their nutritional no-nos - think peas mashed into potato, courgette spaghetti with their 'must have' meatballs and even a healthy, homemade banana milk as an alternative to failing to fool them with a solid fruit source - in order to minimise the taste (and appearance!) of the core culprit/s that's responsible for their initial refusal, and ignite an instant interest in the unfamiliar foods that they 'fear' - a pea potato looks (and sounds!) far more appealing than a plate of prominent peas!

Top tip: be persistent, but patient.
Although it may be tempting to take your youngster's first food refusal as final, it can take 8-10 exposures to a specific food or drink source before a child decides to tuck in and try it - don't give up!

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