You start with the best intentions…
Before you know it, your child only eats four foods. Their food palette is a dreary shade of tan, and you find yourself packing their four tan foods when you go… anywhere.
Food over-selectivity is a common parent complaint. In most cases, it can be avoided or adjusted (to some degree… they’re still kids!).
Keep the following in mind:
1. 
In clinical literature and clinical experience, food over-selectivity in kids with no underlying medical conditions can be effectively treated with EXPOSURE in nearly 80 percent of cases. That’s right. Offering variety is one of the most surefire ways to expand diversity in food consumption. The problem is that chicken nuggets and French fries are tasty, and then they only want chicken nuggets and French fries. Then, to avoid a battle, we only serve chicken nuggets and French fries. Before you know it, you’re preparing the adult dinner and the kids’ dinner each night. Who has time for that? Instead, cook one dinner for your family. Try to include a few different colors, some things you know they’ll like, and a few new things to try.
2. If it’s a dessert night, serve it all at once.
3. Encourage, but do not require that they try each thing on their plate.
4. Accept if they don’t like something and don’t want to take any more bites.
5. Go ahead and limit access to food right before dinner.
6. Provide one round of seconds for any items on their plate and then re-encourage them to try some other items.
7. Provide praise for bravely trying new things (whether or not they liked it).
8. Ditch the children’s menu at most restaurants. For the same price, you can split a more nutritious, delicious, and diverse adult entrée between two kids or have leftovers for one kid.
9. Get them involved. Whether they are 1, 5, 16, or 28, let them help grow, purchase, sample, marinate, dice, layer, mix, bake, cook, smell, and learn about the food with you. If they are an active part of their food’s journey, rather than just being served some mystery glop, they are far more likely to value trying it!
