Page 31 - North State Parent July 2020

Raising Adventurous Eaters
will fluctuate day to day and sometimes from meal to meal. This time is full of change as children learn new skills like talking and walking. They may often seek sameness as much as possible, like sticking to a small group of food. When children are hesitant to try new foods, it usually takes time for them to learn to enjoy them. They want to see, touch and think about it several times before even tasting the food. Some children are extra sensitive to the taste, smell or texture of food. Your child may refuse a food based on a certain color or texture. For example, she could refuse foods that are red or green, contain seeds or are squishy.
Ellen Satter, an internationally recognized pediatric feeding ex- pert and dietitian, guides families through their roles to create healthy eating behaviors. She describes our jobs as parents as being responsi- ble for buying and preparing a variety of foods, offering regular meals and snacks, and making the eating environment as pleasant and calm as possible. The rest is up to your child. Whether they eat, how much they eat and what they eat is their job. Allowing children of all ages to learn what it feels like to be hungry and then full, along with provid- ing the ability to choose foods one likes and enjoy those foods without extreme restrictions, aids in creating a positive relationship with food. These concepts are even more important to remember during picky eater phases.
Some children are less likely to try new things based on their tem- perament—their individual way of approaching the world. Try putting new foods next to food that your child already likes. Avoid preparing special meals but do try to include something on the plate that your child likes. Sometimes children need to be offered foods 10 -15 times before they eat it.
Toddlers may often seem picky because they want to feed them- selves. Offer safe finger foods or offer your child a spoon to hold while you are feeding him. Sometimes letting your child guide where they want the food on their plate can ease the anxiety of having a new food item placed on it.
As they grow into preschoolers and school-age children, talk to your kids about food and the exciting places food comes from, includ- ing local farms. Try recipes from around the world to help open taste buds to the novelty of new foods. Read books about food and watch cooking videos, along with inviting your child into the kitchen to help prepare meals. These are great ways to get kids to try new foods. Grow your food and involve your child in the garden. Working togeth- er in the kitchen and garden can improve children's motor and math skills as well as increasing knowledge of produce, which can lead to your child trying more fruits and vegetables.
Remember to make food fun. Unleash your young artist and use food as a creative art project. You can make fruit and veggie stamps by using apples or potatoes. Make jewelry out of uncooked whole-wheat pasta and dried fruit. Avoid using small food items with young chil- dren as they can become a choking hazard. Like adults, children eat with their eyes. Use cookie cutters to making appealing shapes, such as heart-shaped pancakes.
It may sound unusual, but let your children play with their food. Play a color sorting game to help cultivate your child's acceptance of new textures. Chop brightly colored produce such as green kiwi, red bell pepper and orange cantaloupe into small pieces. Sort foods by color while saying the name of the color aloud. Focus on the game rather than their hesitation of trying a new food item. Again, take care and avoid a choking hazard by not cutting bites too small. When en- couraging food play and exploration, it is okay to get messy! Handling, touching and smelling food helps your child get comfortable with the idea of eating it. This experience with food is a healthy developmental part of eating. 30
Siskiyou County
A Four-Season Area With Peaceful Outdoor Enjoyment For All
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(530) 926-6OWL
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• Comfortable, bright modern office
• Conservative, mercury- free treatment options with a holistic approach
• New patients & emergencies welcome
(530) 926-6333
701 Pine St., Mt. Shasta mountshastadentist.com
Mount Shasta Farmers’ Market
Feeding our community for 21 years direct from the farmers and producers to you.
Mondays 3:30-6pm May 18 to October 12
E. Castle St. in Central Downtown Mt. Shasta
For more info and to receive our newsletter email market.manager@e-jedi.org
making fresh affordable
Accepting WIC, Senior Farmers Market Vouchers, CalFresh and Market Match
Project of Jefferson Economic Development Institute
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