Picky Eating: All you need to know about the disorder

Picky eating is a common practice in childhood and parents often neglect it mistaking it for childhood tantrums. Especially in Indian households, where children’s unfettered love for potatoes refusing to eat any sort of green veggies is a clear sign of picky eating. However, if not addressed in time, it can went on to become a life-long habit your child can grow on to become a picky eater for the rest of the life. Picky eating is problematic, not because your child will ask for specific food the entire life but most importantly because his body will remain untouched by important nutrients.

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To address this issue in your growing child, you must first understand the concept, be able to identify the signs and learn the ways to avoid picky eating. Let’s get started. 

What is Picky eating?

In simplest terms, Picky eating is when a child or even an adult refuses certain types of foods often or eats the same foods over and over. Picky eating usually peaks in the toddler and preschool years. 

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Signs of picky eating

A parent and even an adult must look for these signs to see if they are inclining towards picky eating.

1- When one is avoiding entire food groups

2-  When body growth and weight gain is impacted

3- If a child is exhibiting anxiety, worry or obsessive-compulsive disorder tendencies

4- Lack of hunger

Ways to avoid picky eating

Avoid pressure eating

It may seem right at the time but pressurising a child to eat a certain type of food is not going to help. In adults also one should not get pressured by parents or peer groups to eat a certain food.

The best way is to try everything on the food table, take time to explore the taste and enjoy the substitute and have a small portion of new food.

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Change cooking method

Change the way you cook food that your child or you don’t like. Try to experiment and add ingredients that you like in the dish so it becomes a plus point for you.

For example, if your child is picky eating green vegetables, make it in puree form and add it in dals, sabzi or knead the dough with it. Add spices or flavours that your child likes.

Take it slow

It is important to include everything that your child avoids in the diet but don’t make it a hasty process. Instead, introduce one new thing at a time, so that your child gets time to process the food changes and can actually enjoy the food.