Though it’s considered normal for kids to be choosy eaters, giving them the right diet, alongside their trusted multivitamins, is essential to ensure that they develop continuously and consistently throughout their childhood and into adolescence. 

If your child is a picky eater and you have trouble convincing them to eat during meal times, here are some tips on how to handle it: 

1. “I’m not hungry.”
It’s common to hear this, especially when your child doesn’t have much of an appetite on any given day. Sometimes, it does turn out to be true, primarily if they snack too often.

Establishing a firm and regular meal time schedule will significantly help, as well as allocating specific times in the morning and afternoon for snacks. Make sure they stick to this schedule and avoid deviating from it so that they don’t ruin their appetite when it comes to their heavier meals.   

2. “It tastes bad!”
Kids tend to stick to food that are appealing and familiar to them, and these are typically sweets and snacks. Thus, they avoid or refuse to eat vegetables, fruits, and grains.

Instead of completely taking these off the menu, try cooking and serving it in a different way. For example, vegetables can be made into soup. Fruits can be used in making desserts like whole wheat fruit cake or homemade jello. Oatmeal can be dressed up with peanut butter and cornflakes. Preparing food they think are “icky” in another way or complementing them with food they do like can help change their perspective. 

However, avoid preparing special meals for your child on their command or whim. This will teach them that if they ask for it, they’ll most likely get it, which is not what should be fostered.

3. Make sure you’re in a distraction-free zone.
In this day and age, kids are exposed to digital media and devices at a younger age than in the past. At times, these can become distractions, alongside other things like the television, toys, and even their siblings when they get rowdy. Turn off your TVs and gently take away their phones during meal times, then guide them towards focusing their attention on the food.

4. Be a role model.
Everyone has favorite foods and food they dislike. Do your best to avoid showing disinterest or distaste when eating things you don’t like or new food you have just tried. Be it through facial expressions, body language, or verbal evocation, kids may pick up on these cues and follow them. They most likely will be less willing to try something or eat certain foods if they’ve seen you give an averse reaction to it. This may even go beyond food you personally don’t like and manifest in your children treating food this way in general.

5. “No!”

Your child may want to practice control or assert their independence. At times, this can be the most frustrating thing to hear, because it presents a lack of reasoning. In these situations, remember to keep your cool.  Turning meal times into power struggles will only result in unpleasant memories and pushing your kid further away from eating well. Respect your child’s appetite, and avoid bribing them. It’s important to understand why they are reacting this way, and this can be done with open communication.

Source: Healthychildren.org, mayoclinic.org, kidshealth.org

However, junk food isn't only confined to chips and chocolates. Fast food, instant noodles, and other things with low nutritional value are also considered in this "food group". It's one of the reasons why it's difficult to deviate from junk food and offer healthy options for your kids - it's very easy to order takeout instead of stay home and cook a meal.

Despite the challenges, switching your kids to a healthier diet can have a significant effect on their overall health, growth, mental and emotional development, and mood management. This translates into adolescence and adulthood; their developing years have a profound effect on the rest of their lives.

One thing to keep in mind is that your child's diet is majorly influenced by external factors, apart from having their own personal preferences. Encouraging them to eat healthier involves a hardy foundation in the home and provide a variety of healthy food that your kids will find appetizing.

Here are some tips to guiding your kids from junk food to more nutritious choices:

1. It starts from the top - breakfast.
Your child's momentum begins at breakfast, not just in terms of their diet, but also their mood and drive to study and be active throughout their day.

Breakfast need not be complicated - starting off with wholegrain toast, low-salt eggs, high-protein cereal, and your trusted multivitamin supplement is great to kickstart your child's appetite. Assembling a quick breakfast burrito for your kid to take on the way to school is also an easy fix.

2. Look at the big picture.
Deal with your child's diet with an overall perspective rather than on a meal-by-meal basis. They should be eating more whole foods rather than processed or packaged food, and changing just their lunch or dinner won't give a significant effect to the entire situation.

3. Rather than takeout, stay in.
At home, you and your kids have a full grasp on what you eat and, more importantly, what goes in your food. One of the easiest ways to consistently eat at home is to cook in bulk at the start of the week. Making your family's dishes at once can save time throughout the week, and leave more time for happy conversations at the dinner table.

4. Purge and restock your home.
Making healthy snacks available will guide your kids toward them without necessarily forcing them. Keeping junk food away from your home and only having nutritious food within reach will gear your child's preferences to the more healthy.

Take this opportunity to find alternatives for their junk food. Avoid shocking your kids and having a tantrum on your hands by cutting back on junk food instead of letting them go cold turkey. Substitute ice cream with frozen yogurt or fruit, potato chips with veggie or mushroom chips or even nuts, and donuts with raisin bagels. The possibilities are endless!

5. Practice what you preach.
Be a role model to your child. Kids imitate what they see in adults, especially their parents. Plus, seeing that their parents are enjoying what they eat, they'll feel more comfortable in trying new things.

Source: Healthychildren.org, mayoclinic.org, kidshealth.org

Taking into consideration your child’s picky eating is key before you begin trying to implement changes or strategies in increasing their food intake. Once you are familiar with your kid’s eating habits, it will be easier to help and guide them toward a healthier and hungrier diet.

Here are some ways you can help your child’s appetite grow:

1. Never skip breakfast.
It’s called “the most important meal of the day” for a reason. Eating a delectable and full breakfast will help the trajectory for the day move upward. A balanced and warm morning meal will boost metabolism after a full night’s sleep and jumpstart your body’s energy and activity levels. See to it that breakfast is firmly integrated in your family’s daily routine.

2. Don’t overwhelm them with strong tasting or smelling food.
Most kids like things simple and easy to understand and digest. Make sure you introduce new tastes, textures, and smells to your kids gently and slowly, lest they be confused and overloaded. It will be difficult for them to identify what they want to eat if they’re presented with too many options all at once.

Aside from the food they’re presented, your kitchen or dining area can have pungent or strong smells as well, like medicine, smoke from cooking, or spices from the spice rack that have wafted into the air. Be sensitive to your home’s surroundings and eliminate anything that can overwhelm your child.

3. Exercise more and stay active.
Exercise and activity will not only help with physical fitness and development, but it also improves appetite and health consciousness. Being aware of what your body feels can help identify what it needs as well. Your child will feel hungrier after every play time or sports game, and seek out filling, hearty food. Keep your kitchen stocked with healthy snacks and food to make sure your kids don’t just snack on chips and candy.

4. Let them drink a cup or two of water 30 minutes before eating.
One of the most basic rules, drinking eight glasses of water a day can really help boost your kid’s appetite. Water activates digestive enzymes and, apart from increasing appetite, helps regulate digestion as well.

5. Make meal times happy, comfortable, and light.
Conversations during meal time can range from a fun anecdote to household finances. Stressful or complicated topics during meals can intimidate and confused kids, in turn, decreasing their appetite. Try to bond instead as a family and talk about each other’s day. The kids will feel included and excited about the topic, and their plates will be clean in no time!

Source: Healthychildren.org, mayoclinic.org, kidshealth.org