Favorites FoodPoll
Thisisaspecialsheettotelluswhat foodsmakeyousmile&whatfoods makeyousay'no,thankyou.'
Section1
Foods I Love
Draw a circle around the foods you love to eat.
Section2
Foods I Don’t Like
Draw a line through the foods you don't like much.
Section3
I Wish We Had More
Tell us what you wish there was more of in your meals. You can draw or write.
�� Bananas
�� Carrots
�� Pizza
�� Spaghetti
�� Sandwiches
�� Broccoli(Yes,somekidsloveit!)
�� Bananas
�� Carrots
�� Pizza
�� Spaghetti
�� Sandwiches
�� Broccoli
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HappyMealsfor PickyEaters
Feedingourlittleonescanbeabigadventure —especiallywhenthey'repickyeaters.Here aresomefunandeffectivewaystomake mealtimeshappytimesforeveryone.
Tips
Make Food Fun
Shapes and Colors:
Usecookiecutterstomakefoodintofunshapes.Brightfruitsandveggies canmakeacolorfulplatethat'smoreappealingtolittleeyes.
Be Creative:
Let'stellastorywithfood.Maybebroccolitrees?Oraricemountain? Imaginationmakeseverythingtastier.
Involve Kids in Meal Prep
Little Chefs:
Eventheyoungestkidscanhelpbywashingfruitsorstirringingredients. Whentheyhelpmakeit,they'remoreexcitedtoeatit.
Pick and Choose:
Offeroptions."Doyouwantcarrotsorpeastonight?"Feelingincontrol canmakekidsmorelikelytoeattheirveggies.
Routine, Routine, Routine
Fixed Meal Times
Havingmealsandsnacksatthesametimeseverydayhelpskidsfeel secureandreadytoeat.
Sit Together:
Eatingasagroupshowskidsthatmealtimeisimportant.Plus,theylearn bywatchingyouenjoyyourfood.
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Keep Trying
Patience is Key:
Itmighttake10-15triesbeforeachildlikesanewfood.Don'tgiveup.
Small Portions:
Startwithtinytastes.Alittlebitofnewfoodcanbelessintimidating.
Praise and Positive Reinforcement
Celebrate Trying:
Cheeronanyattempttotrynewfood,evenifit'sjustalickoranibble.
Avoid Pressure:
Keepmealtimesstress-free.Pressuretoeatcanbackfire.
Be a Role Model
Eat Together:
Showyourenjoymentofavarietyoffoods.Yourexcitementiscontagious.
Healthy Choices:
Choosenutritiousoptionsforyourself.Kidsmimicwhattheysee.
Hide and Seek
Mix It Up:
Blendveggiesintosaucesorsmoothies.It'sasneakywaytoaddnutrition withoutafight.
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Introduce Textures Slowly
Start Small:
Beginwithsmallamountsofnewtextures,graduallyincreasingasthe childbecomesmorecomfortable.
Mix Textures:
Combinepreferredtextureswithnewones.Forexample,addacrunchy toppingtosmoothyogurt.
Play With Food
Texture Play:
Outsideofmealtimes,encourageplayingwithfoodsofvarioustextures. Makeitafun,pressure-freeactivitytoexplorehowfoodsfeel.
Food Art:
Createpictureswithfooditems.Discussingthetextureoftheseitemsina playfulcontextcanreduceanxietyaroundtryingthem.
Create a Safe Food Environment
No Pressure:
Encouragetastingnewtexturesbutdon’tforceit.Celebratesmall victoriesandattempts.
Familiar Favorites:
Alwaysincludeatleastonefoodthechildlikesandiscomfortablewithat eachmeal.
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Tricks
Use Descriptive Language
Talk About It:
Usepositiveandneutralwordstodescribethetextureoffoods.Thiscan helpdemystifytheexperienceandmakenewtextureslessintimidating.
Involve Children in Food Preparation
Cook Together:
Letchildrenhelpwithmealpreptobecomefamiliarwiththetextureof foodsinanon-threateningway.
Choice Power:
Givethemthepowertochoosewhichnewfoodtheywanttotry.This helpsthemfeelincontrolofthesituation.
Gradual Exposure
Food Gradation:
Graduallyintroducefoodswithslightvariationsintexture.Thiscanhelp desensitizetexturesensitivitiesovertime.
Pairing Strategy:
Pairslightlychallengingtextureswithveryfamiliarandlikedtexturesto encourageacceptance.
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Sensory Play
Non-Food Sensory Activities:
Engageinsensoryplayactivitiesthatdon’tinvolvefoodtodevelopa toleranceforvarioustextures.Sand,playdough,andwateractivitiescan bebeneficial.
Celebrate Diversity in Diet
Nutrition Variety:
Offeravarietyoffoodstoensurenutritionalneedsaremet,evenwithin thecomfortofpreferredtextures.
Fun Presentations:
Usecookiecutters,funplates,andcolorfulutensilstomakemealtime visuallyappealinganddistractingfromtextureconcerns.
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