12! A Magic Number for Picky Eaters
12 what!?
12 Angry Men?
12 drummers drumming?
12 months in a year?
12 is a magic number when it comes to dealing with picky eating behavior.
It can take up to 12 times of a food being put on a child’s plate before they decide they like it, instead of immediately saying, “I don’t like that!” 🙄
Simply give them a small amount of that food and see what happens, repeatedly.
If you want them to at least try the new food, then put a small amount of something you know they LOVE on their plate. If they ask for seconds of the food they love, tell them that when they try the new food, then they can earn seconds of their loved food.
For example, my three children LOVE tortilla chips! When we have steak fajitas, we put two tortilla chips on their plate. And when they eat two pieces of their steak, then they earn another tortilla chip!
Please remember, most children will NOT starve themselves AND their palates will most likely open up during the teen years.
Growing up, I refused to eat avocados! But then when I lived in Cali the summer after my freshman year of college, my sister-in-law continually exposed me to avocados, and now I LOVE them!
Guac, yes please!
Avocado with salt on it, yes please!