Picky eater, how do I get her to try new foods?

Question

My 6 year old became a very picky eater at about 2.5. Prior to that she would eat anything you would put in front of her. I remember the day when she suddenly decided she didn't like most foods and completely quit eating them. From that point on there are about 8 things (for dinner or lunch) that she will eat. It's very difficult to cook and it's a battle if I prepare something that she doesn't like. I have read not to force them to try new foods, but I'm at my wits end because it's so difficult to cook for her.

If she does decide she wants to try something new, I let her pick it out and then she ends up talking herself out of liking it before she can try it (even though she wanted to on her own). I've tried to tell her to be positive, but as soon as it goes in her mouth she gags and throws up.

I've tried hiding food and mixing healthier foods in, but it still has not helped.

Any suggestions, please!

Answer 1

Simple, cook what you are going to cook. If she wants to eat, she can eat that, otherwise, don't eat. No fighting necessary. That doesn't mean to go out of your way to cook stuff you know she doesn't like, but if you fix beef stew for dinner and she doesn't want to try it, ok, don't eat.

Answer 2

My daughter is the same way. She is 7 and she wants chicken everyday with corn and pashed potatoes. So what i did was make different dishes with chicken adding mushrooms and brocolli and other stuff and having her close her eyes and taste it. the trick is before she closes her eyes it is just a plain piece of chicken but when her eyes are closed i switch it with the chicken with mushrooms and brocolli or what ever i made for dinner that day. so when she says she likes it i show her what she just ate. it seems to work. now if she doesn't like it or spits it out then i have to do the tough love thing. you eat what i cook or you dont eat at all. they will eventually eat. trust me. my daughter eats almost everything i cook now. good luck.

Answer 3

My mom would make a dinner,and if I refused to eat it i went to bed with no dinner th next day, she gave me that dinner for breakfast. If i still didn't eat, it was my lunch, and so on. I didn't even last that long except for once. They may make a big deal out of it but they will learn to eat what you give them.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

I had the exact same problem when i was little! my parents always forced me to try soemthing new, and i know how much i hated it. one thing my mom did when i was little was hid linthels in tocas. weird huh? Well, i always hated trying new foods and stuff. Maybe try to get her to try new foods, and if she doesn't gag or throw up, she gets 1 dollar in a jar. At the end of a couple months, open the jar and let her pick something out at the store in that price range, she will love looking forward to having a prize for eating new things. Well, now i am 13, and i have grown out of it. Sometimes it is just something you have to wait out. I hope this helps!

Answer 6

YOU made it "difficult" not your daughter.  YOU have allowed it to become a battle, not her.  She's a child...you're supposed to be the adult.  You fix a meal and set it in front of her, if she doesn't eat it, fine, she goes to bed hungry.  She obviously gets her way when she pulls out the "drama" card, that's why she forces herself to gag and throw up.  She knows she has you over a barrel.  When my kids pulled that c**p I took them outside, told them to look at the roof of our house then I asked "Do you see golden arches over our roof?" when they said "No" I said "That's right, this isn't McDonald's this is home and you don't get to pick and choose what is served here.  If you don't eat what is prepared for you then you go to bed hungry.  

Consequently, my kids grew up eating what was on their plates.

Answer 7

My son is autistic so I know about pickey eaters!! I got a kids cookbook and started making funny octopus hot dogs over mac and cheese and cut fruit in different shapes, find out the things she is interested in and don't give her a chance to talk herself out of it...make it fun and a little nudge in the right way isn't forcing her...lead by example!! If she sees you like it she will want to eat it too. Good luck!!

Answer 8

My mom would tell me it was somthing that I liked. Like calamarie, she told me it was onion rings an dI loved it befor I new what it was! Same with yogurt! Good luck! Hope this works!

Answer 9

Do not only cook the 8 things she likes.  Cook for you and your husband (boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever).  She has to learn to live in your house, not the other way around.  Have set meal and snack times, and put the food on her plate.  Don't force her to eat, even taste the food, but do make her behave at the table.  Behaving means not whining about the food, taking it off her plate, spitting it out.  She is to eat what she wants and leave what she doesn't.  If, after many times of it being offered, she sees Mom and Dad eat and like the food, curiosity may get the best of her and she'll taste it (and may like it).  But always put everything on her plate.

Answer 10

try making different variations on the foods she does like, tell her to at least try it, if after, and only after shes tried it, she can have her favorite, you should have put your foot down a long tome ago, nothing suceeds like hunger, and the hungrier she is the better, occasoinally, like once a week put something entirely new and strange in front of her and tell her to try it,, mix up colors and aromas, so that the same things are never ever repeated two days in a row, once the momentum is attained, keep going, dont stop, portion control is important, eliminate candy and snacks before meals, if shes already filled up on junk before hand, you as a parent will never suceed in getting her to feed properly.  good luck

Answer 11

mom's job is so difficult