Reply to Hosting step-grandson for two weeks- how to deal with food fussiness

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Former, picky eater here- heavy handed tactics don't work. It's the smell, texture, flavor of veggies or certain foods-- some kids can't abide it, and react more strongly. At twelve, I would sit and starve before eating a cooked carrot. 
Sensory issues and inflexibility will calm down when they are adults as long as it's not linked to a lot of bad memories of being told to "clean their plate" or going hungry because the smell of cooked broccoli is overwhelming.  
Introducing food to try without pressure or embarrassment works great. I was around twelve when I realized that food could be mixed up in a burrito and taste great- it was a no pressure family dinner at a Mexican restaurant. No one cared whether I ate my burrito or not. 
[/quote]

THIS!

Nanny here.  I have worked with soooooo many picky eaters!  "One bite to be polite" can work with some kids, not with others.  I'm a huge fan of having kids help me cook, and having them see that I can put vegetables in almost anything to "hide" the veggie flavor.  While I would never hide a vegetable from a child who was going to be with me long term, in your case, I definitely would for the duration of the visit.  However, I would also put a noticeable vegetable on the table that he can reject, that way he doesn't start to wonder why you aren't having vegetables at all.

Mashed potatoes = half cauliflower
Smoothie for breakfast = zucchini mixed into the strawberry banana
Spatzle= half cauliflower
Any sauce = onion just starting to turn translucent blended in to liquid before making the sauce

There is no way that I would be okay serving meals for 2 weeks and knowing that a child was not eating vegetables at all.  That's just me, I can't do it!  But I also know I'm not going to change a child's pickiness in the short-term.

I would also make sure that there's very little processed food in the house.  I'm sorry, but I don't buy into the whole idea of eating what you want AFTER the meal.  That's not how my family worked, nor is it what any of the kids do when I work with them.  Meals are served, you can choose to eat or not, and everyone's taste should be taken into account (at least somewhat).  No one person's taste should decide every meal for 2 weeks, your tastes included.[/quote]

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