How to Help Your Grandchildren with Fussy Eating Habits

Grandparents are known to spoil their grandkids with treats and surprises, but when you have a grandchild with fussy eating habits, this is unfortunately not a great method of teaching them good habits. Whether you are alone with your grandchild or hosting the whole family for dinner, it’s essential to prepare foods that will be nutritious as well as something they will actually eat. While the parents of the child will likely be working on many of the techniques outlined below, it helps to have backup wherever possible! Here are some dos and don’ts as the grandparent of a picky eater.

Do’s

Make Versions of the Child’s Favorite Foods

Introducing new foods that a picky eater has never seen before will result in their refusing to eat. To avoid this happening at the dinner table, learn what they enjoy eating and try to make something similar, but with a twist. For example, if they like plain noodles, you can try serving some plain as well as veggie noodles and adding a simple side like fruit. These foods are safe in the mind of your picky eater, while still encouraging them to have a well balanced meal that is slightly different from what they normally eat.

Plant a Garden Together

Part of what causes food anxiety for your grandchild is not knowing what it is or where it comes from. To teach your grandchild about fruits and veggies and share a fun bonding activity, gather the materials needed to plant a garden together. Having them involved in the planting of seeds will get them excited when the sprouts start to appear and make them more invested in seeing what the plant tastes like when it finally bears fruit.

Create a Fun Environment for Dinner

When you have your grandkids over, make mealtime a fun event that they will talk about. Dress up the table in a bright tablecloth with plates they will enjoy. For example, you could use plates with their favorite Disney characters and make name cards for each person at the table. Have music playing during dinner and engage in conversation with everyone.

In terms of the food, provide lots of options of bite-size foods and include pots of exciting dipping sauces on the table that everyone will enjoy trying. Most importantly, show how much you are loving eating your food. By making dinner a fun occasion where everyone is eating, it will encourage your fussy eater to have positive feelings toward mealtimes.

Don’ts

Express Disappointment When Your Grandchild Won’t Eat

While it is frustrating for you and the parents of the child, it’s important to stay calm and not show anger or disappointment at the fussy eater. Forcing the child to eat or putting pressure on them will only make them less comfortable with the dinner table and further instill negative feelings towards food and mealtime. Remember that it is also not the parent’s fault that the child is a picky eater and placing the blame isn’t the way to overcome this issue.

Snack Between Mealtimes

We all know that grandmas make the best cookies, but try to refrain from offering one to your grandchild until after mealtime. Giving them snacks in between meals will offer an excuse to not eat their dinner, plus it fills them up with foods that are often not healthy. If they have eaten their dinner, then you can offer them a cookie but don’t treat it as a reward, rather as something everyone is having after the meal.

Only Serve Picky Eater Foods

While you should serve some food that you know your grandchild will like, don’t only cater to their preferences. You should also have more complex foods on the table for the rest of the family as this might encourage your picky eater to try different things.