Home Eating How to Win the Battle against Picky Eaters By Cliff Lyles Tinybeans Voices Contributor August 17, 2019 Search more like this picky eatershealthy eatinghow tomac and cheesenutritionrevolutionchefrestaurantnaturemealfeel badtablechicken tendersmotivate Advertisement Trending Now Viral & Trending Dad Gets Shamed for Using a Leash with 5-Year-Old Quintuplets News Chrissy Teigen Announces She’s Pregnant Almost 2 Years after Losing Jack Viral & Trending This Guy’s Going Very Viral for Nailing the Amazingly Terrible Things About Summer Viral & Trending Michigan Restaurant Closes Early Due to ‘Rude’ Tourists Mistreating Staff Celeb & Entertainment ‘Virgin River’ Season 5 Has Already Started Filming Advertisement Photo: Revolution FoodsIt’s not uncommon for parents to worry when their child begins showing signs of picky eating. As the Executive Chef at Revolution Foods, the nation’s leading school meal provider, I experience picky eating all the time. That said, I wanted to share my go-to methods when in combat. Let’s start with what creates a picky eater. For some kids it’s texture, for others it’s their sensitive palate, but generally, it’s that their parents are picky eaters themselves. When parents are set in their ways about anything, it encourages their children to do the same. If this is the case, you may be unaware that your child is experiencing picky eating. Some typical picky eating behaviors that you may have noticed in your child include:Refusing food because of its color or texture Choosing a couple foods he or she likes and refusing to eat anything else Spending time at the table doing anything but eating The good news? These behaviors are all very normal and will fade with growth. In the meantime, try the below tricks to help keep your child’s pallet and nutrition on track for a happy, healthy future.1. Use their habitual nature to your advantage.Kids and adults are similar in the sense that they can be habitual and trusting of restaurants that they already know they’re going to like. You can use this tendency of theirs to your advantage when getting them to try new things. If your child is already comfortable with the chicken tenders and the mac n cheese from a restaurant, they’ll be more easily convinced that the grilled chicken salad might be trustworthy, too.This restaurant tactic can also be utilized if you’re facing the issue of your child resenting you when it comes to trying new foods. When you make healthy eating a chore by insisting kids remain at the table until their peas are gone, it’s in their nature to rebel and put up barriers. When a fancy new meal is being delivered by a chef, however, they’ll be much more inclined to give it a go.2. Let them play.Use their playful imagination and create edible artwork to combat their pickiness. Animal-shaped foods and pops of color are going to motivate kids to try anything and everything you put in front of them. Adding a rainbow of veggies to your child’s plate might make them more excited to dig in and less inclined to hide them in their napkins, and as a result, you’ll also be filling them with vitamins and minerals that they may have been previously lacking.3. Don’t feel bad about getting sneaky. Creating dishes that contain hidden healthy ingredients inside is another great trick to get kids to try new foods. If you know they like fruit, whip up a smoothie with added veggies and protein. This is a great way to ensure kids are getting the nutrients they need, but since we’re talking about picky eaters, a best practice is to ensure they’re watching you put the “good” ingredients in. Their ears will perk up when they see you add in all of their favorite fruits and yogurt, and your days of persuading will be behind you.4. And lastly, be patient.Let’s refer back to my first point here: don’t worry! Just because your child starts off as a picky eater, doesn’t mean they’re going to stay that way. Kids tastes evolve as they grow. As a chef, the goal for me is to allow a picky eater to be relatively picky as long as I can see that they’re slowly expanding their horizons. Their friends come in handy this way; the different foods kids see their friends eating and enjoying will help them grow their pallet naturally.Companies like Revolution Foods also comes in handy when it comes to giving kids that gentle push to expand their horizons. They intentionally craft culturally and regionally relevant menus to deliver great-tasting meals that broaden kids’ palates on a daily basis.Kids have a mind of their own. Feel free to let them stick to that mindset knowing that in time, and with a few new tricks up your sleeve, they’ll get through their picky eating phase as they get through everything—with Mom & Dad’s patience and creativity of course. Cliff Lyles Tinybeans Voices Contributor I'm a chef who specializes in elevating food, from turning airplane meals into a hot commodity to making clean, gluten-free dishes delicious. I grew up knowing firsthand the impact of childhood hunger, which is why I am thrilled to be a part of Revolution Foods’ team and help fuel children’s minds and bodies. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Copy (Opens in new window) Search more like this picky eatershealthy eatinghow tomac and cheesenutritionrevolutionchefrestaurantnaturemealfeel badtablechicken tendersmotivate Welcome to our Tinybeans family! Be sure to check your email for new activities, recipes and parenting hacks – and to see if you’ve won! Do you have a dog or cat? Select YES below and click submit to start receiving FREE pet ideas and inspiration, news about new pet products, exclusive offers and limited-time promotions. Yes, I have a pet! Submit GET READY FOR SUMMER! Enter to Win a $250 Gift Card! Enter your email and zip code below for a chance to win a Mastercard Gift Card. We’ll pick one winner per month through August 31, 2022 – 5 lucky winners in all! email zip_code campaign_name Enter Now! I agree to the official rules and to receive email communications from Tinybeans. By providing my email address, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience possible. Accepting the use of cookies enables important site functionality including personalization and analytics. Accept Decline Create an account to save this content on Tinybeans Choose how you would like to sign up. Continue with Apple Continue with Facebook Continue with Google or Continue with Email By signing up, you agree to Tinybeans Terms of Service and acknowledge you have read and agreed to our Privacy Policy. Sign in to your Tinybeans account Don’t have any account? Create an account here. Forgot your password? Reset it here. Sign In or Continue with Apple Continue with Facebook Continue with Google Personalized recommendations Tinybeans uses personal information to share useful recommendations and ideas for your family. This may include your previous activity, family profile and your hometown. Tinybeans keeps your data safe and does not sell personal information to any third party. Learn more about your privacy and location choices. Close