Picky Eating and Gentle Parenting: Strategies to maintain Peace and Healthy Habits

By Chhavi Gupta

Are you finding yourself struggling while trying to offer healthy foods to your child? No matter how hard you try to accommodate their preferences and palates, they seem to not want to eat or even try? 

This can cause frustration and put you off your path of gentle parenting, but there are ways to address this in a peaceful and healthy way. 

Here are some tips for how to approach this issue in a gentle way:

1. Don't Place any labels: Start off by not labeling your child in a negative or positive way. Calling them a "picky eater" or a "good eater" allows them to stick to specific behaviors and not try new foods. 

2. Don't force your child to eat: Forcing a child to eat can lead to negative associations with food and meal times, which can make the picky eating worse. Instead, offer a variety of healthy foods and let your child decide what they want to eat.

3. Be patient: Picky eating can be a normal part of a child's development, and it may take time for them to become more adventurous with food. Be patient and continue to offer a variety of healthy options.

4. Get your child involved: Involve your child in meal planning and preparation. This can help them feel more invested in the food they are eating and may encourage them to try new things.

5. Create a positive mealtime environment: Make mealtimes a pleasant experience by sitting down together as a family and avoiding distractions like phones or TV. This can help your child feel more relaxed and open to trying new foods.

6. Offer healthy choices: Offer a variety of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Encourage your child to try new foods, but don't pressure them.

Remember, picky eating is often a temporary phase and is not usually a cause for concern. By creating a positive, nurturing environment and offering healthy choices, you can help your child develop a healthy relationship with food.