Mealtimes with picky eaters can feel daunting, but what if it could be fun? Many parents face the daily challenge of getting their kids to eat various healthy foods, but it doesn’t have to be a struggle. With the right tools, every meal can become an exciting experience, encouraging even the pickiest eaters to try something new.
Let’s explore some of the best tools we have found to make mealtimes fun and engaging!
- Monster Bye-Bye Bowl – This cute monster is a fun tool that can encourage your picky eater to engage with new foods in a playful rather than stressful way. As your child moves food from their plate into the bye-bye bowl, they will watch the food disappear into the monster’s tummy (the bowl!). Watching food disappear as the monster ‘eats’ it can make mealtimes less intimidating. You can use the bye-bye bowl to encourage your child to touch, kiss, or lick foods before saying goodbye and feeding it to your new favorite mealtime monster.
- Shape Cutters – Shape cutters are a great tool to use with picky eaters to turn mealtimes into a fun, creative activity. Your child may be more willing to try new foods when presented playfully. Shape cutters transform ordinary foods into hearts, stars, animals, or whatever shape your child loves. Using shape cutters helps to shift the focus from the ‘you must eat this’ approach to one that will encourage your child to touch and play with new foods during a relaxed, stress-free mealtime.
- Mini Animal Fork Picks – Using animal fork picks instead of traditional silverware can be a fun and engaging way to encourage kids to explore new foods. Fork picks allow for better control of portion sizes. Using picks, children can pick up one tiny bite at a time, making mealtime less overwhelming and allowing them to finish their meals at their own pace. It helps that these fork picks are cute, too!
Mealtimes can transform into an enjoyable experience with the right tools, patience, and imagination. Whether it’s a monster bye-bye bowl, shape cutters, or animal fork picks, the key is to make mealtimes as interactive and stress-free as possible. Remember, every child is different, so experiment with other tools to help find what works best for your family.
If you have any concerns with your picky eater, call us at TEAM 4 Kids.
Samantha Stapleton M.S., CCC-SLP and Reece Thulstrup M.S., CCC-SLP
In the video below, SLP Reece shares her favorite tools to make mealtimes engaging for picky eaters!
