How to Find Meals for Picky Eaters

Some adults and children have a difficult time trying new, unfamiliar foods. The label "picky eater" is attached to a person who pushes food around his plate, refuses to try new foods or finds herself in a bad mood because of what is served. Perhaps certain foods do not agree with a person, allergies are present or different textures are difficult to chew and swallow. Whether the picky eater is going to be a guest in your home or lives under your roof, there are ways to find healthy meals that everyone will enjoy.

Instructions

• 1

  Anxious eaters can have an oral defensiveness problem.

  Find out why the person is picky. Perhaps she is not exposed to new foods often enough. Maybe there's an oral defensiveness problem, such as a low tolerance for touch in and around the mouth, textures, tastes or temperatures. When this happens, common foods will often seem slimy, sandy or extremely sour, for example. Mix textures together, such as in a casserole, and watch how the person reacts. Notice gagging or extreme avoidance in situations where new foods are present and begin figuring out where the aversion comes from.

• 2

  Call the food something appealing instead of its real name.

  Offer the same food to a child over and over again before deciding she does not like it. Rename food for children who simply become fussy eaters. When a child admires a cartoon character, change spaghetti and meat sauce to Superman's spaghetti and meat sauce, for example. In addition, children who are exposed to foods that other children are eating are more likely to try something new. Ask parents of other children what favorite meals are served in the home.

• 3

  Encourage tasting with a familiar shape.

  Search online and in cookbooks for recipes that have two to three ingredients. Picky adults and children like simple foods where they can see the ingredients. Discover ways to make a healthy meal appear like something else the person likes. For example, a child attached to chicken nuggets might not like a breaded chicken breast, but may like it if you cut the breast into nugget-shape pieces, dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry them.

• 4

  Add a familiar dip to any meal.

  Offer condiments with most foods. A child who will not eat a fish sandwich might eat a fish stick if ketchup or tarter sauce is on the plate. Fruits, such as strawberries, go down easier for some people when coated with cream or brown sugar. Vegetables such as carrots, celery and broccoli are devoured by some people only because the ranch-style dipping sauce is what the person craves.

• 5

  Use a blender or food processor to disguise ingredients.

  Puree nutritious foods and fold them into already-accepted recipes. Missy Chase Lapine, author of "The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals," says that pureeing fruits and vegetables and then adding them to foods already accepted will bring needed nutrients to a picky eater's diet. Mix carrot puree into macaroni and cheese or cauliflower into quesadillas. The taste and texture goes unnoticed and a healthful meal is easily eaten.