Being a picky eater is completely normal. Here are some ways to make it easier.
17 Oct 2026
Being a picky eater is completely normal. Here are some ways to make it easier.
Picky eating is something that is most common in most of the children. There is nothing to worry or fear about it in most of the cases. Picky eating mostly starts after the age of two, when the child starts understanding the taste, the texture, the colour, and the smell of the food. One can see picky eaters when the child experiences limited variety in food, when there is a lack of texture and flavour, particularly when the food is bland, and when the child has a fear of trying new food dishes, ones that are unfamiliar to them
Some tips parents can include when a child is a picky eater
Firstly, all of a sudden, do not include new food on the child’s plate. First, try some familiar food for weeks, and when the child is used to eating it, slowly and steadily introduce a new food besides the familiar food.
During meal preparation, parents should engage the child in some child-safe activity like washing vegetables, washing dal or rice; by doing this might be able to eat better.
In some households, people often sit together for lunch/dinner; during this time, children often see what all other family members are eating, and they want to eat the same thing. So, whenever the child is eating, sit with the child with your plate and eat similar food.
Try to introduce a rainbow plate. Different kinds of colourful vegetables. Children often love to see colours.
Introduce finger foods. What are finger foods? Finger foods are simply food dishes that you can eat in one go, like vegetable cutlets, rolls, wraps, mini bites, vegetable sticks with hung curd.
Let them explore with food. Allow them to eat food with their own hands after age 2.
Stop doing these things :
We often see parents pressurizing a child to eat food – running behind them, slapping them, or just bribing them with some toys or chocolate, or just telling them a fear; this of all is just a temporary solution; in the long term, this can make them worse at eating.
Let the child decide whether they want to eat or not. If they are hunger will eat the food, and once they are full, they will stop. So don’t force-feed them.
Make sure there is no screen time played during eating a meal. As they are more focused on watching the cartoon rather than eating, you will never know when they are full.
Kids like to explore whether it is toys or food. So let them explore with new foods, introduce new foods, and make the food fun. They will surely enjoy it.