Vegetables and kids. It’s all familiar; the furrowed brow, scrunched up nose, protruding tongue and the words “that’s yucky” muttered from their mouths. You wonder what this adamant refusal to eat certain foods stems from; is it because it’s unfamiliar? Is it the way it looks? The texture? Smell? It’s completely normal for kids to…
Picky Eater? Why a Simple Role Reversal Will Change EVERYTHING
Many parents feel as though mealtimes are out of their control — they harp and fight with their kids to eat certain foods, yet ultimately, their kids are in charge. In my nutrition counseling practice, I often meet with worried and frustrated parents of “picky eaters” who describe scenarios of their kids orchestrating meals, while…
Praising At Meals: Why it May Hinder Rather Than Help
I’ve always thought that praising my kids for positive behaviour, kindness, sharing, etc., has worked well to increase the chances of continued positive behaviour. However, after years of being a pediatric and child dietitian, I’ve realized that praising does more harm than good. Learn how praising your child may make picky eating worse. I can…
Setting Mealtime Boundaries For Your Child
As the parent of a preschooler and baby, I know firsthand how stressful mealtimes can be. They are certainly not relaxing by any stretch of the imagination, but they can be enjoyable and less chaotic if boundaries are set. It’s up to us parents to set these boundaries and consistently enforce them, while at the…
Picky Eating: Four Common “Mealtime Battle” Triggers
You’ve prepared a healthy meal for your family, making sure to include all of the food groups and lots of nutrition. You’re feeling hopeful that your child will eat what they’ve been served–even a portion of it, but much to your dismay, they decide that they don’t like it before they try it. They push…