If you have been following Dashing Dish for any length of time, you probably know that I understand what it is like to feed not just one (young) picky eater, but I also have an adult picky eater on my hands! Shortly after marrying Sean I learned what a picky eater he was when he ate the same five foods over and over for about a year. It didn't take long for me to start sneaking in healthier versions of his favorites, and soon after I started to introduce new foods slowly over time. Being that he was a grown man, I found it much easier to encourage him to try new foods, because I was able to explain what it tasted like, and when push came to shove, he knew that if he wanted to eat, he would occasionally have to try something new. A few years into our marriage, I thought I finally had the "picky eating" problem solved... and then came Maddie.

When Maddie was six months old and it came time to feed her, I was SO excited! I made a few different homemade purees, and watched as she spit every one out and shuddered with disgust! I knew right then and there that I had another picky eater on my hands. Fast forward to when she turned one, I finally decided to ditch the purees and try different solids, and I noticed almost right away that if anything had any sort of texture, she would spit it out and never touch it again.

As she progressed in the toddler years, I made many more mistakes that I now recognize was fostering her "picky" eating behaviors, but was totally unaware at the time. It wasn't until she turned three that I got serious about stopping (and reversing) the habits I saw developing, knowing that her health and also her future depended on me making smarter choices. I educated myself by reading, watching, talking, and observing other parents and experts that specialized in good eating habits in children, and today i'm happy to say Maddie at age four eats better than ever! No, she's not a perfect eater, and by no means do I have it "all" figured out, but we have both come a long way, and we will continue to expand our horizons as she grows!

If you can relate to what I shared, and want to learn ways to help your picky eater reverse their habits (ore prevent them all-together), here are seven helpful steps you can take today to encourage healthy eating habits in your children.

1. Encourage Independent Eating. It may seem too early to prevent picky eating when you are starting your baby on solids, but it really does start here! I have watched the different ways my sisters and friends have started their babies on solids, and I can say without a doubt the babies that are given the ability to feed themselves with finger foods transition much easier when it comes to being open to different textures, shapes, and types of food as they grow. If you are spoon-feeding, or are feeding only purees, aim to transition your baby to self-feeding by 9 months old with a wide variety of finger foods.

2. Allow Kids to Get Messy. Resist the urge to wipe your child’s face and hands during meals and let your child get messy while self-feeding. Children who are excessively cleaned may have a harder time exploring and trying different foods if they are perceived as "messy".

3. Stick to a Schedule. If you are serving snacks or treats, be sure they are not within 2 hours of a meal. Children and babies have very small stomachs, and often don't eat past feeling full (oh the glory), so if their tummy is full, it will certainly spoil their desire to eat the veggies on their plate!

4. Provide Choices: Early on when I started to see Maddie's picky eating behaviors coming through I set up a fun way to get her to try, and be open to new foods. I bought a few silicone muffin tins (with 6 muffin cups), and filled each cup with something different, making sure there was a balance of options (a whole grain, healthy fat, protein, fruit, veggie, and a healthy treat). Nowadays, I have switched to plates or bento boxes with separate compartments, but I always try to provide at least two options that she knows and loves so when she looks at the plate, she is automatically open to eating something she recognizes, and there is almost always one cup that is filled with something new. Even if she doesn't try the "something new" right away, I found that the more she saw it on her plate, the more willing she was to trying it, and almost always eventually did! Often times as parents I think we get "scared" of wasting food so we stop trying once we know our kids refuse something, but if they never see that option again, or are forced to eat it, it often sets them up for never accepting that food later in life. Providing different foods as options allows them to explore on their terms, which is often half the battle with small children (who often just want some feeling of control).

5. Don't Make it Personal. I will never forget the time that I spent a laborious amount of time making a homemade cauliflower cheese sauce for a pasta dish I made for Maddie, and she refused to even take one bite. Sean could see the angst on my face, so he pulled her aside and explained how it would make me very sad if she didn't try it. We quickly learned what a mistake it was to bring emotions into the meal, and making it personal wasn't healthy at all. Maddie ended up crying, Sean and I felt terrible, and guess what- Maddie never ate the pasta. Guilt, pressure, emotions. They won't produce anything healthy or good when it comes to food and eating habits in your children, so when trying to foster good habits, keep them out of the equation.

6. Don't Quit. One of the biggest regrets I have in feeding Maddie thus far is the fact that I quit giving her certain foods when she was about two years old because she said she didn't want them. For example, at the age of 18 months, I actually got her to eat cauliflower, broccoli, and a few other veggies over time. At first I served them in a disguised fashion, and eventually she was eating broccoli straight from the oven. When she turned 2.5 and started expressing her opinion however, I gave in and stopped serving those veggies that she once enjoyed. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself, keep serving them, and don't quit! Children are notorious for wanting control, and there is nothing with giving them pieces of control, but also keeping the reigns on the situation as the parent is essential. If we bend and break at every squak and "no" our children give us, where would they be in other areas of life? The same goes with food, we are the ones in this season of their life that is in control of what goes on their plate. Despite the unpleasant feedback, if we don't give up or give in, those food that they reject at first will eventually come back around if they aren't outlawed to begin with. Now, granted, there are certain foods even we as adults don't enjoy- so there will undeniably be foods our children simply won't like, and that's ok. The point is, if there has been a desire for certain foods at any point in their development (even baby stages), you can bet your bottom dollar they will return to it again if you stick with it!

7. Be the Example. Last but not least, we simply can't expect our children to do anything as far as eating behaviors are concerned that we aren't willing to do ourselves. If you are a parent you know just how close your kids watch your every move.They mimic so much of what we do without ever saying a thing, because actions truly speak louder to words when it comes to our little mirrors. The most important thing you could do when it comes to impacting the habits of a picky eater is to be willing to try new things and enjoy a wide variety of foods with your children. If you aren't a fan of veggies, try recipes on Dashing Dish that "hide" them, or make a favorite food and find ways to sneak some into the sauce or blend them into baked goods. Even better yet, cook and bake with your kids so they can feel excited and proud to enjoy the food they made! Once your kids have tried a bite and everyone agrees they enjoy the meal, share the "secret" so they can feel proud of the fact that everyone in the family is growing strong and healthy together!

I hope these tips help give you some tools and much needed relief from the everyday battles around the table. Like I said, these are far from all of the solutions out there, and much of what I have learned have come from listening and learning from experts and other parents whom have gone before me. There are so many wonderful sources of knowledge that can help you along your journey if you need further guidance; But the important thing is that you realize you are not alone, and that all of your efforts to nourish your family is a job well done! xo Katie