Within most families there is usually someone who is difficult to please at the dinner table, a fussy eater can be quite a challenge.
For any parent it is vital to know that firstly it is not anyone’s fault and secondly that worrying just will not help.
In most cases the child will grow out of it and go on to eat a well balanced and varied healthy diet.
Research shows that it is very rare for a child to be picky about what they eat because of their family environment. It is just a case of an individual just being born different no different from hair color or the shape of their nose.
One thing that must be made clear is that the child is unlikely to change his or her mind about food that they like or dislike until they are adults. This is often where the problem lies because meal times become a battle ground and cause a great deal of upset within the family group.
The most commonsense approach to a fussy eater is to encourage them to try different tastes and textures. Never force them to eat anything and try not to make a big deal about food.
This is hard because of a parent’s unnecessary feelings of failure but attempt to make meal times relaxed. Getting them involved with the preparation of food can be worth a go as is baking cakes or cookies with them.
Avoid discussing the fussy food eater in ear shot, sometimes this can lead to a form of attention seeking which is a whole other ball game.
