Winning Strategies for Picky Eaters: Top Tips for Smooth Supplement Taking

Photo credit: Jennifer Brand

Did You Know It Can Take Multiple Introductions Before Your Child Accepts a New Food?

It might take 10, 20, or even 100 tries before your child develops a taste for certain foods. Don't give up just because it didn’t work the first few times. By 9 months old, babies begin to establish their taste preferences, so now is the time to prevent picky eating habits.

Take my dad, for example. He’s always been a picky eater. As a kid, if he didn’t like something, my grandma never offered it again. Recently, though, I got him to try kale chips and Brussels sprouts—foods he never would have touched before. He even enjoyed a BBQ chicken sandwich, which is huge considering he once told me ketchup was too spicy!

If I can get my dad to expand his palate, I know you can help your child do the same. Here are some strategies to help:

1. You Decide What’s on the Menu
   You’re in charge of your child’s nutrition. Keep offering the foods you want them to eat, even if they don’t eat it the first few times. Exposure is key!

2. Small Portions, Big Impact
   Serve small portions of new foods, allowing your child to explore and play with it. Getting familiar with new textures and smells is a step toward acceptance.

3. Let Them Take Control
   Give your child a spoon, let them self-feed, and cut foods into small pieces to avoid choking hazards. Sometimes having control over how they eat encourages them to try more.

4. Catch Them When They’re Hungry
   Offer new foods when your child is truly hungry—there’s more motivation to try something new.

5. Make It Fun!
   Cook meals together, sample foods while preparing, or visit stores that offer samples like Whole Foods or Costco. Children are more likely to try something in a fun environment.

6. Lead By Example
   Children mimic their parents. If they see you enjoying healthy foods, they’ll want to join in.

7. Avoid Separate Menus
   Serving different meals to different family members encourages picky habits. Stick to one family meal, modifying only for medical conditions like celiac disease.

8. Explore New Textures & Tastes
   If your child seems sensitive to certain foods, consult with a professional to rule out underlying issues.

Most importantly, don’t give up! It might take time, but persistence pays off.

Supplement Struggles? Here’s How to Make It Easier:

Getting kids to take supplements can be tricky. They might be cooperative one day and stubborn the next. But don't worry—there are plenty of creative ways to make it easier:

1. Offer Choices
   Let them decide how, when, and where to take their supplements.

2. Safety First
   Divide doses into smaller portions, and if using a syringe, aim for the lower cheek to avoid choking.

3. Explain the Benefits
   Help your child understand why the supplements are important. For example, let them know it will help their skin feel better or help them sleep.

4. Positive Reinforcement
   Praise them when they take their supplements or use a reward system like stickers (but be careful not to attach a reward to everything).

5. Pick the Right Form
   Supplements come in many forms—chewables, liquids, powders. Some capsules can even be opened and mixed into food.

6. Make it Fun
   Turn supplement time into a game or mix supplements into smoothies, yogurt, or apple sauce. You can also alternate bites of food with doses of supplements.

7. Be Realistic
   Offer realistic quantities of food or drinks with the supplements so your child gets the full dose.

8. Lead by Example
   Show your child that you don’t think the supplements are “gross.” Take yours too (if safe for you).

9. Trouble? Ask for Help
   If your child refuses, vomits, or spits out their supplements, ask your practitioner if it’s okay to try another dose or another form.

Most importantly, don’t give up! It may take some trial and error, but you’ll find what works best.

What to Mix Supplements In:

• Smoothies or smoothie popsicles

• Applesauce or pureed fruits/veggies

• Yogurt

• Juice, water, milk, or tea

• On a spoon with honey, maple syrup, or oils like coconut or olive oil

What to Avoid:

Avoid creating stress and anxiety around supplement time. Forcing it may create a negative association with food. Stay patient, keep trying, and don’t give up!

References

Parenting Stack Exchange. How to get a toddler to start chewing and eating solids. Parenting Stack Exchange. https://parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/7235/how-to-get-a-toddler-to-start-chewing-and-eating-solids. Published August 13, 2013. Accessed October 19, 2024.

Brown J. Nutrition through the Life Cycle. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth; 2011.

Fein SB, Li R, Chen J, Grummer-Strawn LM. Breastfeeding practices: does method of collection matter? Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94(suppl 6):2006S-2012S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.009639.

Fujimori M, Tohno E, Yaguchi Y, Matsuoka A, Ohta K. The effectiveness of probiotic supplementation on constipation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Dig Dis Sci. 2014;59(8):1983-1992. doi:10.1016/j.peds.2013.12.026.

Ritz C, Moller N, Henningsen J, et al. The effect of dietary fiber intake on the development of type 1 diabetes in children at risk. Acta Paediatr. 2013;102(5):508-514. doi:10.1111/apa.12078.

Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Nine stress-free tips for giving your child medicine. Available at: https://www.chla.org/blog/rn-remedies/nine-stress-free-tips-giving-your-child-medicine. Accessed October 19, 2024.