Picky eaters: Go with the flow

Here’s a mystery for all times. Why will a kid eat Harry Potter dirt-flavored jelly beans but not a green bean?

The fun of the gross-out? Because a friend gave it to them? Maybe on a dare?

Some say parents should use the same psychology with foods kids hate. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says one strategy is to name the food. That’s not steamed carrots! It’s X-ray Vision Coins!

Might work. Seems like a lot of trouble for carrots.

In the end, picky eating is more about accepting new tastes, textures, and the fact that they aren’t in control of what goes on their plate (thankfully), says Dina Rose, a sociologist and author of It’s Not About the Broccoli.

Kids need up to 12 exposures to a food before they accept it, Rose says. That might mean just looking at it. Adults might remember having the same experience with school food.

The key is not to completely cater to kids’ tastes. They might want macaroni and cheese at every meal, but parents shouldn’t make a separate meal just for them. Remember they need exposure to foods.

Sally Sampson, the co-author of The Picky Eater Project, says she used one strategy with her children that offered them an option. If they did not like what was being served, they could leave the table and choose either cottage cheese, Cheerios, or plain yogurt. Her children said these options were just boring.

If meals are pleasant and happy, kids won’t really want to leave the table.

Other tactics: Involve kids in preparing the food. Help kids grow a vegetable garden. Be sure to offer healthy snacks when they come home from school.