Ask the Child Psychologist

Picky Eater

by Lisa Medoff

Dear Dr. Medoff,

My first-grader is a very picky eater, but I want to make sure that he learns healthy habits. What can I do to make sure this happens? From, Sherice

Dear Sherice,

As children move toward the early elementary school years, appetite tends to decrease a bit because the rate of physical growth is slowing down from what it was in earlier childhood. Think of the difference between what you are willing to eat when you are really hungry compared to what you are willing to eat when you are fairly full. Being more selective about what you eat as you are able to spend more time away from your parents is also a very healthy adaptation; the older you get, the less you rely on adults to select food for you, so you stick with food that is very familiar because it hasn’t made you sick in the past. As children age, they also become more aware of themselves as unique individuals with their own preferences, so they are more likely to reject a food that does not fall in the “favorite: category. Children may seem pickier than they were before because of all of these changes.

However, eating a variety of healthy foods is extremely important for children, both in terms of immediate nutritional needs and in terms of establishing healthy patterns for the rest of their lives. Healthy eating is not only important for physical growth; poor nutrition has been linked to impulsivity, aggression, and inability to control attention.

Just as they do with all other actions, children imitate the food choices and eating behaviors of the adults they are surrounded by. Kids usually have the food and beverage preferences of the people with whom they spend the most amount of time, so monitor your own eating and drinking habits, as well as your own attitudes about food when you are around your children. Let your kids see you trying a variety of nutritious foods. Kids also imitate the food choices of friends that they admire, so collaborate with the parents of your children’s friends to make sure that they, too, have a variety of healthy foods available to them.