Mealtime can feel like a battle when you’re dealing with a picky eater. But what if eating wasn’t just about the food? By turning mealtime into playtime, you can make it a fun experience that encourages your child to try new things. Here are some easy and enjoyable games to make meals exciting for your picky eater.
1. Color of the Day
Choose a color for each meal, and let your picky kids find foods in that color to put on their plate. For example, if the color of the day is red, they could pick strawberries, cherry tomatoes, or red peppers. This game helps them focus on the fun of choosing while introducing new foods.
2. Food Explorer Adventure
Turn mealtime into an adventure by calling your child a “food explorer.” Give them a “mission” to taste-test a new food. You can even create a simple chart where they rate the food’s taste, texture, and appearance. Stickers make great rewards!
3. Build a Face
Serve foods that can be arranged into silly faces. For example:
- Use cucumber slices for eyes.
- Add a cherry tomato for a nose.
- Place a strip of cheese for a mouth. Your child can “eat the face” one piece at a time. This turns eating into a creative activity.
4. Roll the Dice
Use a small dice to decide how many bites of each food your child should take. If they roll a 3, they take three bites of carrots. This makes eating feel like a game and gives them a sense of control.
5. Food Rainbow Challenge
Challenge your child to eat foods from every color of the rainbow. You can start with simple foods like:
- Red: Strawberries
- Orange: Carrots
- Yellow: Corn
- Green: Broccoli
- Blue: Blueberries
- Purple: Grapes This game adds variety and encourages them to explore new foods.
6. Taste Test Mystery
Blindfold your child and give them small bites of different foods to taste. Ask them to guess what they’re eating. Start with familiar foods and slowly introduce new ones. They’ll have fun guessing, and it removes some of the pressure.
7. Fork Bowling
Line up small pieces of food on a plate, like peas or blueberries, and let your child food “roll” a small fork to knock them over. The catch? They have to eat the ones they knock down!
8. Storytime Snacks
Make up a story about the foods on their plate. For example, the broccoli can be “trees in a forest,” and the mashed potatoes can be “a snowy mountain.” As they eat, they’re helping the characters in the story.
9. Eat the Clock
Turn mealtime into a race against the clock. Set a timer for a short amount of time (like two minutes) and challenge your child to eat a certain number of bites before the timer goes off. This keeps them engaged and motivated.
10. Dip and Dunk
Kids love dipping! Serve foods with fun dips like hummus, yogurt, or ketchup. For example, carrot sticks, apple slices, or even small sandwiches can become more exciting with something to dip them in.
Final Thoughts
Mealtime doesn’t have to be stressful. By turning it into playtime, you can make eating fun and help your child develop a positive relationship with food. Remember, patience is key, and it’s okay if they don’t love every new food right away. Over time, these games can turn even the pickiest eater into a more adventurous one!
