The Fussy Eater: What’s Going on in my Child’s Mind?

Ever stared at your child's dinner plate, a landscape of untouched veggies and suspiciously sniffed protein, and wondered, "what in the world are they thinking?"
But before you assume they’re just being difficult, let’s take a moment to dive into the fascinating way a child’s mind processes food.

Operation: The mind of a mini-muncher

Kids experience food differently.
Children don’t just have smaller versions of adult brains; their brains are wired uniquely, especially when it comes to sensory processing, learning, and control.

Here's my simple, non-scientific breakdown:

Sensory overload: Imagine every taste, texture, and smell is amplified!
That bwoccoli? It's not just bwoccoli; it's a tiny tree that’s grassy, bitter, a bit too mushy and hence yucky to touch plus it’s overwhelmingly close to me! HELP!

Neophobia: The fear of new foods - It’s completely normal for children to be wary of unfamiliar foods.
It’s not that I never want this. But today has been an overwhelming day at kinder and I prefer to stick to my safe foods. It’s my way of controlling something around me to try and exert my adult-like independency. It’s my power move!

Lack of predictability = No thanks! Children crave routine and predictability. New foods are unpredictable.
Will it taste good? Will it feel weird? Will it betray me like that one time I thought bananas were the same until I saw a brown spot on it. Yuck no! I’m going to inspect every banana hereon (They never forget).

Learned behaviours: Did you know that your reactions to their eating habits impact their eating habits? If you're visibly stressed at the table, or you keep giving them alternatives when they don't like something, you might be unknowingly reinforcing their fussy eating.
That’s okay if I try and maintain my willpower for the next hour and not have a single piece of this cauliflower. I will get my 2-minute noodles treat, I know she won’t let me go to bed hungry.

Graded food exposure: Key to success

We can’t expect a child to dive headfirst into a completely unfamiliar food. Would you eat something that’s a random yellow paste?
Yes, that questioning look is what your child tries to express as well. It's definitely going to take more than verbal convincing to get them to try something. They are still figuring out their likes and dislikes and have had very limited food exposure to be half as brave as you.

I work off the principles of the steps to eating ladder and reflecting on the sensory aspects of food in my feeding clinic sessions with children of all ages. This emphasises on environmental tolerance, interaction, smell, touch, taste and eventually eating.

Each small step allows the brain to process the food in a safe way, gradually reducing the fear response and building positive associations. The more a child is exposed to a food in a non-threatening way, the more likely they are to eventually accept it. So next time your child rejects something for the hundredth time, take a deep breath and remember - it’s not defiance, it’s just their brain needing more time to process. And who knows? One day, they might even ask for seconds of that once-dreaded broccoli!

Want help tailoring a food exposure plan for your little one? Reach out to us for expert guidance and support!