| Having previously considered the differences between | | | | Use food for play. You can use pudding to paint |
| a picky eater and a problem feeder, here are some | | | | beautiful masterpieces, or unmixed gelatin and water |
| simple tips for introducing your child to new foods. | | | | to make a watercolor painting. Make home-made |
| Involve your child in preparing the menu for the week. | | | | play-dough with ingredients in the kitchen. Beautiful |
| Determine together which recipes your child might be | | | | jewelry can be crafted out of shoestring licorice and |
| interested in cooking. You can discuss whether the | | | | noodles. The list could go on and on, the point being |
| recipe needs to be changed, or whether something | | | | that you use food for things other than eating. Playing |
| could be added. Have your child help you decide what | | | | with food items in this way provides exposure to the |
| ingredients need to be put on the grocery list. If it is not | | | | food without expecting that it will be eaten. |
| too overwhelming for your child, s/he can accompany | | | | Make scent jars with a variety of different smells, |
| you to the store and help you purchase the ingredients | | | | including food and non-food items. Place small amounts |
| you need. Some children may also be interested in | | | | of spices, sauces, pieces of food or non-food items |
| having a grocery store scavenger hunt to find the | | | | into "smelly jars". Spend some time smelling the items |
| items on the list. Make this experience fun! | | | | with your child, and trying to guess what it might be. |
| Include your child when preparing the meal. This allows | | | | Take time to talk about whether it is a good or bad |
| for some exploration of food without expecting the | | | | scent. You can discuss whether it smells like |
| child to eat it. Food preparation can be less stimulating | | | | something you would eat, or if it is something else. |
| and anxiety provoking than sitting down for a meal. | | | | Providing an opportunity to smell a variety of scents |
| Make your food preparation fun by allowing for | | | | without needing to eat anything is another way to |
| exploration through "play" with the foods. It is important | | | | expose your child to new and different foods. If your |
| to touch the food. Allow your child to touch, squish, | | | | child seems to respond positively to spicy smells, this |
| smear, or knead the food. Try experimenting by adding | | | | may be an indication that their sense of smell and |
| new and different ingredients. This is also a great time | | | | taste are duller than the typical person. You may try |
| to talk about all of the different smells. Don't force your | | | | presenting your child with a spicy food or sauce to |
| child to smell something, but you can talk about how | | | | see if s/he is willing to try it. Remember not to force |
| good the food smells to you or what it reminds you of. | | | | your child to eat it, but just present it as an option. |
| Remember that just because your child helped | | | | The most important thing to remember in all of these |
| prepare the meal, s/he may still not eat it. At this stage | | | | suggestions is to not expect your child to eat anything. |
| you are just providing exposure and interaction with | | | | These are just some of the ways to expose your |
| food, not expecting the child to eat it. If your child | | | | child to the many food options available to them. An |
| chooses to try the new food, that is great; but don't | | | | upcoming article will propose ways to make mealtimes |
| force him/her to try it. | | | | more palatable. |