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THE PICKY-EATER PROBLEM
Q: My 4-year-old son will only eat chicken nuggets, hot dogs and bread products. My husband and I have tried in vain to get our child to try other foods, but these attempts always lead to hours of him screaming and crying and not eating. Any advice?

A: In January the U.S. government released revised guidelines on what constitutes a healthy diet. In those guidelines, we were all advised to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, the nutrition pros said several times a week anyone over age 2 should eat from all the vegetable subgroups, including dark green vegetables, orange veggies, legumes and starchy vegetables. So what do you do with a child who, never mind food groups, will only eat about three foods?

Not much, according to Karen Cullen, an associate professor of pediatric nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine’s Children’s Nutrition Research Center in Houston.

“This is a power issue more than a nutrition one. If your child is on the growth charts, he’s probably doing fine. But kids are very perceptive. If they see their parents get upset, they kind of like that,” says Cullen.

Her advice is to simply offer nutritious foods at each meal and at least twice a day as snacks. If your child eats, fine. If not, remove the food until the next meal or snack.

“You should offer foods that kids recognize,” recommends Cullen.

So maybe not eggplant Parmesan but spaghetti, chicken, vegetables and fruit. Also offer whole-grain bread and milk at each meal. Every other night it’s fine too to make the foods you know your son will eat — the chicken nuggets or hot dogs, although you may explore healthier versions. For example, you can make your own nuggets with chicken breast and bread crumbs and you can buy vegetarian hot dogs at most supermarkets. Preservative-free turkey franks are also available at health food stores but they can be expensive.

“Even if a child only eats a piece of bread and drinks a glass of milk, though, that’s fine,” says Cullen. “Your responsibility as a parent is to prepare the food and offer it at mealtime and snack time. It’s the child’s responsibility to choose how much to eat.”

You especially don’t want to take that responsibility away from your son. It’s important that he’s able to listen to his body and respond appropriately to hunger signals now and in the future. Cullen says that the odds are enormous that your son will develop a broader palate in due time.

There is one last thing you can do, though, to ensure it’s a broad and healthy palate: eat well.

“What you eat sends a very clear message to your child. So really look at your habits,” says Cullen.

Yes, you should be eating those vegetables (at least two and one-half cups a day) and the fruits (at least two cups a day). Bon appetite.

Victoria Clayton is a freelance writer based in California and co-author of the new book "Fearless Pregnancy: Wisdom and Reassurance from a Doctor, a Midwife and a Mom," published by Fair Winds Press.

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