Children: Exploring Their Own Tastes

There are four Ps to learn and utilize in raising children, and they are especially useful in regard to pediatric nutrition: personality, patience, positivity, and persistence. I discuss each of these Ps in Be patient with your children, Make mealtime fun, Gentle persistence will be rewarded.

Let's start with personality. Keep in mind that though she may be your child, your daughter will be her own woman one day; her personality, self-confidence, and tastes are evolving with each new daily experience. Rather than battling at the table over what foods she will eat, encourage her through creative but nonconfrontational techniques to explore her tastes. Here are three techniques that will encourage that kind of exploration while still acknowledging your child's individual tastes:

• Use the one-bite rule to ensure that she is exposed to a variety of flavors and textures. Don't expend too much energy preparing elaborate meals for her when she is young. That way you won't be discouraged if she only nibbles at the food on her plate or plays with her food instead of eating it.
• Incorporate the color game into meals and snacks so that she will have fun tasting small portions, even just nibbles, of as many naturally colored foods (no M&Ms!) as possible. Praise her for trying new foods and accept that she might not like the taste of them.
• As always, set the tone with your own good example. If you or your spouse is a picky eater and refuses to eat vegetables, it's time to grow up and show your children how to be a healthy eater.

More on: Healthy Meals for Families

Excerpted from:

From Raising Healthy Eaters: 100 Tips for Parents by Henry Legere, M.D. Copyright © 2004. Used by arrangement with The Perseus Books Group.

To order this book visit perseusbooksgroup.com.