Picky eating is a frequent resource request we get from parents here at Help Me Grow Utah. We have many resources we like to send parents when it comes to picky eating, but here is a fun tip I like to share with the parents I work with:
Involve your child in the cooking process!
Having someone in the kitchen with you while you’re trying to cook might not be ideal, especially when it’s been a long day and you just want to cook something up quickly. But what if I told you that your child will be less of a picky eater if you involve them in the cooking process? An article shared by Zero to Three mentions, “Having a hand in making the meal increases the chances that the child will taste her creation”, (How to Handle Picky Eaters | ZERO TO THREE). In other words, when your child helps you cook a meal, they will feel a sense of accomplishment and pride, making them more likely to try and even eat the meal.
Also, by involving your child to help in the kitchen, you will allow them to explore new foods. You can learn more about how to help children like new foods by watching this video, (FEAST: Helping Children to Like New Foods).
Now, you might be thinking about how you can involve your child in the cooking process. Here are some suggestions:
- Allow your child to help choose the meal. You can select a few different recipes for your child to choose from or you can find a recipe together by looking through cookbooks, magazines, Pinterest, etc.
- Go grocery shopping with your child. Make a list of ingredients you need to buy and go shopping with your child. Let them choose the perfect vegetable or fruit and have them check it off of their grocery list.
- Cook with your child. Allow them to wash the fruits and vegetables, sift the flour, or even break the leaves off of a lettuce head. Let them help in ways that they are capable of and remember to keep close supervision.
- Have them set the table and serve the food. This will get them even more excited to eat what they created because they are now showcasing it on a plate. They can use fun plates and utensils, which also helps with picky eating. Allow them to call everyone to the dinner table as well, and if they are willing, give them some time to share what they cooked with the rest of the family.
- Sit down and eat together. This part is so important because it’s the time where the whole family can come together and try the meal that your child worked so hard to make! Try to make this time special for your child. Put phones away and put your attention on them and on the meal being served. Your child is more likely to eat when everyone else is eating with them and eating the same thing.
- Involve them in clean-up afterward. This part might not be so fun for them but it is still very important. This is a good time to praise your child for their hard work. Help them gather the plates and put them in the sink while saying something like, “Wow everyone liked the meal you cooked so much that they didn’t leave anything on their plates!”.
- Create and add to their own recipe book. You can help your child create a scrapbook of their favorite meals they cooked with you. They can add the ingredients they used, a picture of the meal they cooked, and even their experience/rating. This could be a great reference for the next time they choose the family meal!
You don’t have to cook with your child every day or for every meal, but try to do it as often as you can. You can do it once a week or even once a month. They also don’t need to do every single one of these steps when you want to involve them in cooking. One day you can have them go grocery shopping with you and another day you can have them cook with you. Make it into a party by involving the whole family! Ultimately, whatever it looks like for you and your family, I’m sure your child will love being a part of the process no matter what.
So, next time you’re in the kitchen getting ready to cook, remember that involving your child in the process will get them to be less picky with food. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride while also allowing them to explore a variety of different foods.
