Food Choices – Likes and Dislikes

A picky eater can be a parent’s worst nightmare. Often, however, the best solution is not to try to force the child to eat more, but to hold more reasonable expectations. Young children naturally tend to like bland colored, bland tasting, and familiar foods. When considered in an evolutionary context, this tendency makes perfect sense: in the wild, poisonous plants are often brightly colored with a sharp flavor. Picky eaters are therefore acting on a deep-rooted instinct to protect themselves, and not (as it might seem) an inclination to provoke their parents.

It’s a good bet that if you asked your own mother, she would recall (and with fondness) one or two foods that you preferred above all others. And if you asked her if you eventually outgrew your picky eating habits, chances are she would say you had. (I don’t know of any adults who eat only macaroni and cheese.) However, most people can recall a certain food that they were forced to eat as a child, and now abhor so strongly that they will never eat it again. With the modern world’s availability of food and the advancement of health-related science, there is little danger of malnutrition, but a lasting negative impression can be caused by an attempt to force a child to eat a food they do not yet have a taste for. In extreme cases, trying to make a child eat certain foods or a certain amount can turn into a battle of wills that is totally unnecessary, and that usually results in the child eating nothing at all.

Meals should be a combination of one or two favorite foods, and one or two unfamiliar foods. A general rule of thumb is that before a child will be comfortable experimenting with a new food, you must first place it in front of him, along with his tried-and-true foods, as many as a dozen times without pressuring him to try it. Once a child becomes accustomed to seeing the new food on his plate, he will be comfortable sampling it. Once again, however, do not pressure him in any way. Even if he doesn’t seem particularly pleased by the new food, it does not necessarily mean he won’t like it; but if you comment on it, you in effect label the food as an “unlikeable” food. Refrain from commenting, but continue to provide the child with the new food. Eventually, he may develop a taste for it. If he does not, however, do not worry – his tastes may change over time, or he may, in fact, never like that particular food. Remember, it is perfectly normal to dislike a few foods consistently over the course of a lifetime.

Junk Food

With these points in mind, it is important to address the issue of junk food. An overabundance of junk food in the household can increase the potential for power struggles over food, by providing far too many tasty – and, ultimately, unhealthful – alternatives to ordinary food. The best strategy to take is to limit the availability of junk food, from the very beginning of a child’s life if possible. It is perfectly acceptable to keep a few favorite snacks on hand, but beware of exceeding the reasonable limit – if children are allowed to satisfy their hunger with processed, high calorie sweet or salty snacks, their appetites for healthful food will dim.