Tips for Dealing with Picky Eaters

A healthy diet is essential for a child's healthy growth. However, mealtime is often a time of struggle for both parents and children.

The problem becomes worse with kids who are very choosy about what they eat. Parents often get concerned whether their little ones are getting enough nutrition. Forcing or criticizing the kid will only help strengthen his/her hatred toward food.

Following are some tips from Mayo Clinic experts to deal with picky eaters:

Give importance to the child's appetite: Never force a child to eat when he/she is not hungry. Also, don't force or bribe the kid for eating foods or for cleaning the plate. This will only help in turning mealtime into an unpleasant experience, and leads to the development of anxiety and frustration in kids. Provide small portions and give the child an opportunity to ask for more when he/she needs it.

Fix a permanent time for meals: Do not serve snacks and meals separately. Frequent snacking and the intake of milk or juice during the day can reduce the kid's appetite for meals.

Provide the child enough time to like a new food: Motivate the child to eat a new food by describing its color, shape, aroma and texture. Serving the new food along with the kid's favorite food is also a good idea.

Make the food more appealing: Children are more likely to eat vegetables like broccoli and carrot when they are cut in to different shapes and served with their favorite dip or sauce.

Involve the kid in grocery shopping and kitchen help: Take your child's opinion before selecting fruits and vegetables and encourage them to assist you through small tasks like setting the table or rinsing the veggies.

* Provide an example to the kid by including lots of healthy food in your diet.

* Apply some creativity while preparing food by mixing colorful veggies.

* Don't allow the child to watch TV during mealtimes - This will help avoid the negative impact of TV advertisements on their eating habits.

* Serve dessert only once or twice a week - Substitute it with a healthier choice like fruit or yogurt.

* Do not cook food separately for children - This will only serve to encourage picky eating. Try to make the child sit at the table even if he/she is not eating.

* Consult a doctor - Parents should consult a doctor when they notice that their child's eating habits is affecting their growth and normal development.