Nightly dinners can be a stressful time if you have a picky eater in your family, especially around the holidays.
A Canadian registered dietitian says parents can make it easier by giving up a little control.
Edwena Kennedy said it's a parent's responsibility to choose what to serve and when, then after that, it should be up to the child.
"It's easier said than done but if we're letting our child truly maintain their freedom and autonomy within that role of choosing if and how much they want to eat, and we let go of trying to control that, meal times actually become a lot more enjoyable," she explained. "And believe it or not, it's kind of step one to overcoming picky eating."
Research shows negative forms of pressure, such as shame, guilt or threats of taking something away tend to make the situation worse.
"Kids really do know our agenda. They're smart and can tell that mom really wants us to eat this," said Kennedy. "What do most kids do when they feel that? They dig their heels in and do the complete opposite of what you want them to do."
"The best thing to do is to try and stay really neutral and avoid pressure tactics around food and controlling what they're eating."
She recommends letting your young one watch you prepare food to encourage them to get involved.
"Not only do they feel pride over the fact that they may have helped cook a meal, which increases the chances they'll eat it, but cooking with food actually counts as an exposure to food," she said.
"It takes 10 to 15 times of exposing a food to your child before they come to like it and actually, the way I see it, it could be way more than that."
According to Kennedy, when your child gets a chance to see, touch and smell different foods without feeling like they'll be forced to eat it, they'll be more likely to try it when it's an option on the dinner table.
