Picky Eater Therapy

Do you have picky eaters? Maybe you simply have kids who aren’t picky, but are afraid of trying new things. I have an interesting activity you can try that is really fun, teaches your kids all kinds of skills, and encourages them to willingly try new foods. It’s best explained in what I did.

I told my kids we were going to have a special supper made up entirely of foods they selected. I told them I would take them to the grocery store and they could make all the decisions, but nothing could be familiar to them. Everything they selected had to be something they didn’t recognize.

When we arrived at the store, we headed to the produce department. They took their time, read names of items and asked me about them. They finally settled on some tiny Russian potatoes that looked long and skinny. They also picked brussel sprouts and mangos (none of which I had bothered to introduce yet, in fear of what would happen). Next they went to the meat department and chose spicy beef and pepper skewers. Last, they chose a funny shaped bread from the bakery.

When we got home, they helped clean and cook all the items. They were very excited to help me figure out how we were going to cut, cook, and serve some of the things. They were so proud of the meal and tried everything. Nobody wanted to be left out of getting her chance of voicing an opinion.

The result? It was a hit. The kids discovered they love brussel sprouts. They ask for them all the time, and we planted a large garden of them this year. The kids continually ask when we can do it again.