Picky eating is a common problem among children with ADHD.
It’s definitely one of the most common obstacles we help families overcome when they begin working with us.
If you have a picky eater, keep reading, because in this post, I’m going to share some of my best tips and tricks to make picky eating a thing of the past.
When Renee told me her son only ate 5 total foods, I knew I had my work cut out for me.
I had worked with picky eaters before, but never THIS picky!
When I chatted with Renee on the phone, I remember feeling a little bit nervous for the first time. I was unsure if I could really get her family to the place they wanted to go because part of reducing symptoms naturally is getting great foods into the body.
So I wondered if we could do that with Renee’s son being so picky.
That was a couple of years ago, and I have been so impressed with this little boy and his family!
He is now eating over 200 foods.
Renee actually shared her story not too long ago and it’s now available on YouTube.
You can watch it HERE!
If Renee can do it with her picky eater, I’m confident there is no picky eater we can’t help!
Here are some tips we used with Renee that can help other picky eaters out there as well!
7 Picky Eating Tips:
Tip 1: Only introduce one new food at a time.
Trying more than that can make the experience overwhelming and stressful. Always pair new foods with one familiar food that the child enjoys. Doing this will ensure weight does not drop too much.
Tip 2: Do a family food challenge.
Write down a new food to try. Place this note in the kitchen, and put a checkmark each time it is tried. Once the family reaches a certain number of checkmarks, do something fun as a reward.
Remember, it can sometimes take 15-20 tries before a child’s taste buds adapt to new flavors. So plan to be patient and keep trying the new food, even if no one likes it at first!
Tip 3: Try new foods during the time of day that a child is going to be hungry.
This way they will be more open and willing to taste new foods.
Are they starving after school? Offer the new food then.
Tip 4: Try to be calm and upbeat during mealtime.
Remain calm and positive when things aren’t going exactly to plan. When my boys were younger I used to encourage them to crunch their food like a bunny rabbit, or give that food a lick like a puppy dog, we would all giggle and it took the tension out of dinner time. For older kids take a joke book to the table, share a joke before the meal and for every new food they taste.
Tip 5: Use food chaining.
Food chaining is a technique I commonly use for families in my program.
In essence, food chaining begins with a food a child already likes. Parents take this food and change the way it is served. Change the shape, change the seasoning, and change the cooking method.
For example, a potato can be prepared a million different ways. Don’t change the food. Change the way it is served!
Change the texture and the seasonings. Include herbs and spices. Keep introducing it in various ways! Change the shape, seasoning, and preparation. Deep fry, pan fry, make into mash, tots, add spices, or combine with sweet potato mash.
It’s all about changing things slowly and carefully, starting from a base that the child already enjoys.
Tip 6: Consider zinc.
Many parents don’t realize that zinc deficiency can be a big driver for picky eating, so if this is a possible concern, get that checked out.
Tip 7: Reduce inflammation in the body.
When inflammation in the body, brain, and gut is reduced, the pallet begins to open up.
To do this, start by removing the top inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, and soy. You also want to identify underlying stressors in the body.
We do this through functional lab testing, to look for stressors in the gut, the immune system, the detoxification system, and genetics. We also look for the presence of heavy metals in the body.
You also want to reduce environmental toxins (such as those from cleaning products, personal hygiene products, etc), EMF (electromagnetic fields) exposure, and technology.
Once we have taken these steps and effectively reduced inflammation in the body, then we want to focus on RESTORING the body.
Reducing ADHD symptoms naturally is not just about what to take out or reduce, but also what to put back in!
To restore the body, begin with the diet and focus first on bringing in more fresh whole fruits and vegetables, grass fed animal protein, wild caught fish, healthy fats, and eating a variety of foods the body needs.
Then, consider bringing in some ADHD-specific supplements like probiotics, magnesium, fish oil, etc.
Supplements can be very effective and restoring, but you can’t supplement your way out of a poor diet or a body riddled with inflammation.
Also remember, supplementation should be tailored to each individual in order to address specific internal healing opportunities and provide support.
The third step in restoring the body is to optimize detoxification. No matter how hard we try, we simply can’t avoid toxins in our life. Our kids will get exposed to toxins on a daily basis, so it’s important to optimize their detoxification pathways.
There are various ways to do this, but a few good ways to start include: eating plenty of fresh, green foods, drinking more spring water, taking detox baths, and using special supplements or binders.
Finally, to restore the body to optimum health, focus on exercise. Exercise improves brain function, mental focus, behavior, memory, cognitive flexibility, and academic performance.
Reducing inflammation in the body and restoring the gut to optimum health allows the pallet to open up.
I have been amazed time and time again as children in my program have started asking for their veggies. Not just tolerating them or choking them down. But actually asking for them!
Give these tips a try with your picky eater, and let me know if you need any additional support!
Want to know more about how we can help YOU get to a place of peace and calm with your child using natural strategies?
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And as always, I am not a medical doctor and the above post is based on my experience. No information on this site should be relied upon to make a medical diagnosis, treat, prevent or cure any disease or medical condition.
