Picky, Picky, Picky

Picky eaters…we all have either been one, will be one, or know someone who is currently picky about what they eat. There are so many different factors that make people picky eaters. They could have started life just not liking the flavor of much, maybe the textures of certain foods drive them away, or maybe lack of adventure has left them only having a palate for the tried and true.

Regardless of the reason, when a medical condition, such as diabetes – either type 1 or type 2, is added on, things become even more difficult at meal and snack times. One thing that we need to realize is that not all picky eaters are children. Many adults are as well. How can one combat this issue and break out of the “ho hum” routine? Here’s some tips on making meal time livelier.

• Consider new recipes. With the world essentially at your fingertips, it has become so easy to find new ways to cook. Searching the Internet for diabetic friendly meals brings up a ton of different pages. Pinterest is always a great resource, as is Allrecipes.com. They both have hundreds of recipes to help bring new tastes to your palate.

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  For those with young picky eaters, consider having them help you cook. Start from the very beginning by taking them to the grocery store. Have them pick out the ingredients for a meal. When preparing dinner, let them do the chopping if they are old enough. Most kids are happy to pour things into something else, and they love to stir. By allowing them to do this, they are more likely to try new things. It also teaches them to cook, which is a great skill to have.

• Let them know that it’s okay not to like certain foods, but they still need to eat healthy. Leave the diabetes out of it. Their palates will change as they grow older. If they aren’t getting enough protein, offer them a chocolate protein shake. Toss in some fruit with a vanilla protein shake. Switch it up, let them help you make it.

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  Another option is having healthy pre-cooked meals delivered to your door. MagicKitchen.com is the perfect answer to this. The internet allows that picky eater to see what their meal will look like and exactly what is in it.The best thing is you don’t have to worry about fumbling about the kitchen trying to prepare something you’ve never worked with before. It’s quick and easy. The options are plentiful for those needing a diabetic meal. It’s almost like having your own private chef in your kitchen preparing foods you and your family will love.

Cooking for a choosy eater can be pretty tough. It gets discouraging when you’ve worked hard to make a meal that is good for your whole family. Turned up noses are never the desired outcome of your efforts.

Finding ways to help that fussy eater in your family change their mindset is a challenge, especially when they are diabetic. Now you have a few more tools to help you get through this battle. The tips/hints listed above are only a few ways to help please the finicky eater. Do you have a situation like this in your home? If so, what are the strategies that you use? I’d love to learn how you make sure your picky eater tries new things.