As a pediatric dietitian, I often hear from parents who are worried about their older picky eaters. They are told by their pediatrician through the toddler and pre-school years that their child will grow out of it (as they often do), but here they are now in the middle elementary years with a child who eats fewer foods than he did when he was 4. They wonder if their child will ever grow out of it or if they’ll be stuck eating the same five foods forever. The good news? With patience, consistency, and a strategic approach, you can help your child expand their diet while maintaining a positive relationship with food. Here’s how:
1. Remove the Pressure
One of the biggest mistakes parents make when trying to help a picky eater is applying pressure—whether it’s insisting on “just one bite,” bribing, or making mealtime a battle. Unfortunately, pressure often backfires, increasing anxiety around food and making kids even more resistant--especially in older picky eaters who have often felt pressured around food for quite some time. Instead, focus on creating a low-stress mealtime environment where your child feels comfortable exploring new foods at their own pace.
2. Work with Their Current Preferences
Instead of worrying about everything they don't eat, lean into fueling foods they already enjoy. If your picky eater eats a few types of fruit, try offering strawberries and raspberries and grapes at snack time instead of just grapes. They'll likely fill up on more fruit overall when there is more variety.
3. Consistently Offer Exposure to New Foods
For busy parents, it can be frustrating to feed picky eaters and easier to serve foods you know they'll like. Frequent exposure to new foods is key when helping picky eaters. Even if your child doesn’t eat a new food right away, repeated exposure without pressure can increase familiarity and acceptance over time. Serve new foods alongside their favorites, involve them in grocery shopping and meal prep, and allow them to touch, smell, or even play with food without any expectation to eat it.
4. Continue to Take the Lead
As children get older, it’s easy to give them more control over their food choices, but parents should still play a guiding role. You decide what foods are available and when meals and snacks happen; your child decides how much to eat. By maintaining this structure, you ensure they are exposed to a variety of nutritious foods while also ensuring they have an appetite driving them to eat at meal and snack times. Grazing becomes more common in kids that are old enough to grab their own snacks, but it dull the appetite that might drive them to try a bite of something new at dinner.
5. Be a Partner, Not an Opponent
Tackling picky eating should be a team effort. Instead of battling your child over food, act as their partner in overcoming it. Show empathy, validate their concerns, and explore new foods together in a fun, pressure-free way. Modeling a positive attitude toward food and making mealtimes enjoyable can help your child feel supported and more willing to try new things.
Final Thoughts
Expanding a picky eater’s diet takes time, and progress may be slow—but that’s okay. Keep mealtimes relaxed, offer new foods consistently, and remember that every small step forward is a win. By fostering a positive food environment, you’ll help your child build lifelong healthy eating habits while keeping mealtime enjoyable for the whole family.
Feel like you need extra help with your older picky eater? Our Registered Dietitians can help! Book a free Discovery Call today to see if we're a good fit for your family.
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