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How to Help Your Older Child Try New Foods

Feeding our families is one of the most time-consuming aspects of being a parent. No matter what is going on in the world, our kids will need to eat at least three meals every single day. Those of us with children may feel the pressure to ensure our kids are getting an adequate amount of nutrition from the moment we hold them for the first time. As our kids grow through different stages, the conversation around food and meals must also change. There are quite a few strategies out there for parents to use when introducing new foods to young eaters and toddlers. For the most part, as parents, we expect our kids to outgrow picky eating. But what if they don’t? I’ve got some advice for you to try if you have an older child who struggles with trying new foods. The advantages to working with an older child are the fact that they can communicate much better than toddlers and the fact that they can sit for longer periods of time. These behaviors can help make the following 5 meal-time strategies a little easier to manage.

Quit using the term “picky” and keep food conversations neutral

As your child gets older and can better understand personal labels, the label of being a picky eater will have a negative effect on their capacity to want to try new foods. It can, in essence, become a self-fulfilling prophecy. They may begin to see themselves as someone who is known to not try new foods and therefore use that as an excuse to not participate.  Keep food conversations neutral and act like it doesn’t bother you one way or another. Acknowledging that an older child tried a new food may actually tap into their self-consciousness and cause them to shut down.  There is also quite a bit of evidence that shows arguing, shaming and bribing can have negative effects on children’s eating habits that may carry on into adulthood. So, try to keep a neutral tone when talking about food around your children.

Keep re-introducing and focus on descriptive qualities of the food

Research has shown that it takes an average of 8-15 exposures of a new food before a child will accept the new food.  Even as your child gets older, you will still need to keep re-introducing a new food multiple times. Varying the cooking method is a good way to keep things creative when re-introducing foods. If you serve a new vegetable raw the first time maybe try roasting or sautéing it the next time. It’s always recommended to serve new foods with foods your child is familiar with or already enjoys so the new food doesn’t seem as intimidating. Now that your child is older, you can also begin to explain the qualities of the food in more mature terms. Instead of telling your child the eggplant is “good for them” tell them it can help keep their skin clear.

Get your kids involved

Kids are more apt to try new foods if they have a hand in creating the recipe.  So get your kids involved!

• Start with having your kids help with the meal plan for the week. Get their input on what recipes they want to see in the meal rotation. If there is a certain food that they love, have them help find new recipes for that particular food. This not only gets them involved in the meal planning but also helps to introduce a new cooking method. Click here to read more about creating your meal planning calendar.
• Let your kids help with the grocery shopping. Having them touch, feel and smell the produce, or other ingredients, can positively influence their capacity to want to actually try the recipe you are creating.
• Teach your kids to cook. There are so many age-appropriate tasks in the kitchen for kids at all stages of growth. They can help read a recipe, organize the ingredients, try their hand at actually cooking and so much more. Teaching kids to cook is a fun family activity that will also lead them to want to try the new food. Plus, you are teaching them a life skill that they will use as they move into adulthood.
• Once you have your meal plan ready, post the daily menus in advance so your child knows what is being served.

Keep a schedule

As the parent, you ultimately decide what and when your kids will eat. If you are having trouble with you child eating or trying new foods, then post a schedule and stick to it (i.e. lunch is served between 12-1pm, snacks can be eaten between 3-4:30pm, etc.) Tell your kids they can have snacks within a certain time frame and then no more so they will still be ready and hungry for lunch or dinner. Don’t fall into the short order cook trap. Stick to your menu, your kids get what is served.

Know when to seek additional help.

Mealtimes should be easy and relaxed. They should be a time to bond as a family and catch up on each other’s days. And as a parent, you know you child best. If your child continues to only eat a very short list of foods, is not meeting growth milestones, and struggles with food and social situations you may want talk to your child’s pediatrician or seek help from a registered dietitian. I help picky eaters of all ages in my family coaching programs. You can learn more here.