Navigating Holiday Meals with Picky Eaters
It’s the holiday season! We know that holidays are a fun time to celebrate with kids. We also know that the this time of year can be challenging for kids whether or not they realize it. Our kids may experience too much...sugar, excitement, time spent in large crowds, changes in routine…etc.
Here’s another thing we know : holiday season can be it’s own type of challenging if you have a picky eater. The one thing we typically all have in common during the season is we eat a lot of food, and we may eat different types of food that are not regularly served throughout the year.
So what do you do for your picky eater when you are hosting family, cooking for a large number of people, or traveling for the holidays?
Ms. Erin is one of our feeding therapists at GASLC, and has a lot of great thoughts on this! Read on for 5 Tips for Navigating the Holidays with Picky and Selective Eaters.
The holiday season is upon us and with that typically brings large gatherings centered around big meals. These situations can be particularly stressful for children who are picky eaters and their parents. Keep reading to find some suggestions for making the holiday season enjoyable for everyone!
A “picky eater” is defined as a child who may be unwilling to eat new foods or refuses to try new foods. They have strong food preferences. This can be a normal stage of development in children. A “selective eater” may only eat food that they find safe or acceptable to consume. They have extreme preferences and may avoid foods of a certain color, texture, and/or taste. It could ultimately impact their overall nutritional health.
5 Tips for Navigating the Holidays with Picky and Selective Eaters
Set Expectations: Prepare your child about what to expect. Talk to them about where the event will take place, who is going to be there, and what types of foods will be served. Let them know what your expectations are as far sitting down at the table, being polite, etc. and that they will not be forced to eat anything they don’t want.
Talk to family members ahead of time: Call a few key family and friends ahead of time to explain that you appreciate their concerns regarding your child’s diet, and you are aware of their limitations; however, it would be greatly appreciated if they could avoid commenting on what your child is eating during the event.
Bring a preferred food: Offer to bring a dish that you know that your child likes! This will ensure that there is something at the event that your child will eat. Take it even further by having your child help prepare the dish, serving it on a platter, and offering it to everyone. This will make your child feel more included in the event!
Feed your child before the event: If you know that your child will not eat during the event, try and serve something highly preferred (and maybe increase the amount) for the other meals during the day so that they don’t go hungry!
Enjoy yourself! Set your expectations low and try and try not to focus too much on your child or the meal. Take the time to be present at the event and enjoy yourself. This will also relieve some pressure from your child which may increase the chances of them trying something new!
Did you know that we offer feeding evaluations and feeding therapy at GASLC? If you feel that your child may need a feeding evaluation due to concerns regarding their nutritional intake and ability to consume a variety of food items please contact us at 770-977-9457.
Still need gift ideas for the holidays? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide.
Thank you Ms. Erin for all of your great tips!
