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Now I will say, as motivated as I felt after reading the book, there's one huge component we’re lacking here in America. Apparently, in France, their schools, governments, and communities all work “together to create food and education systems that support parents in feeding their children well.” I don’t know about you, but I oftentimes feel like others are working against me (not with me) when it comes to feeding our next generation well. My daughters eat more junk food at school than I would ever dream of giving them at home. I can’t imagine how much easier things would be if everyone in our society was on the same page like they appear to be in France.
But rather than waiting around for that to happen we must just take matters into our own hands. And what I have learned from my own children is that converting a picky eater requires a gentle, yet persistent approach and LOTS of patience! Winning over a picky eater is not something that will happen overnight, but if you really make it a priority in weeks, months, or even a year I guarantee you will start to see some of the dramatic changes you are hoping for. And in the end it will of course be worth the effort.
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10 great takeaways (the “French Food Rules”) from the book French Kids Eat Everything:
- Parents: You are in charge of your children’s food education.
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Apparently the French think us Americans cram our schedules so full with activities (like sports, art, music, dance, etc.) that it leaves little time to teach our children "some of the most basic, important things they need to know, like the proper way to prepare, cook, and eat healthy food." You have to admit it's hard to argue with that criticism. And I just love the analogy the author uses when she says, "French parents think about healthy eating habits the way we think about toilet training, or reading." If your child had trouble learning to read or using the potty would you just give up? Same should go for eating a variety of healthy foods...I know, they are right and it stings.
- - Avoid emotional eating. Food is not a pacifier, a distraction, a toy, a bribe, a reward, or a substitute for discipline.
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I feel like we are so far down this rabbit hole it might be hard to get out, but let’s face it they have a good point here! Food is for nourishment, hunger, and nutrition...not for being a good listener.
- - Parents schedule meals and menus. Kids eat what adults eat: no substitutes and no short-order cooking.
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If this were a reality for everyone it would certainly make life a lot easier!
- - Food is social. Eat family meals together at the table, with no distractions.
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How you eat can be as important as what you eat.
- - Eat vegetables of all colors of the rainbow. Don’t eat the same main dish more than once per week.
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I agree that variety is extremely important, but I am personally a little stumped when it comes to the second half of this rule. We love leftovers at our house and feel they are such a time saver...but that certainly means eating the same main dish more than once, or in some cases, more than twice per week!
- - For picky eaters: You don’t have to like it, but you do have to taste it.
For fussy eaters: You don’t have to like it, but you do have to eat it.
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When considering these statements it's also VERY important to remember that "you're not going to convince the kids to love food by being too strict with them. It has to be enjoyable. Not necessarily loads of fun, but simply pleasurable." This takes us back to that "gentle persistence" I mentioned above.
- - Limit snacks, ideally one per day (two maximum), and not within one hour of meals.
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Now, I know out of all the rules on this list that "no more constant snacking" will likely cause the most uproar. But according to the author it's okay to feel hungry in-between meals and guess what...your kids might eat a better dinner if they are actually hungry!
- - Take your time, for both cooking and eating. Slow food is happy food.
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"North Americans associate food most with health and least with pleasure. The French are at the opposite extreme: they are the most pleasure-oriented and the least health-oriented about food." And ironically enough "20 percent of kids in the United States are obese, but only 3 percent in France." Now if that doesn't send a message, I don't know what does.
- - Eat mostly real, homemade food, and save treats for special occasions. (Hint: Anything processed is not “real” food.)
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See...I am not the only one preaching this statement! :) But "so much of what French people eat is, by default, 'real food'" so I'd have to say they don't exactly face the same challenges we do when it comes to encountering junk food on almost every corner. The French do have an admirable approach though when it comes to the processed, junk food their kids may want to eat on occasion. They do not police their children's food intake (or ban all junk food), but instead attempt to "train their children to eat a balanced diet and to realize how much healthier they feel if they eat mostly 'real food.'" I've always said that if my daughters only avoid processed food "because mommy said so" then it's not going to get us very far.
- - (The Golden Rule) Eating is joyful, not stressful. Treat the food rules as habits or routines rather than strict regulations; it’s fine to relax them once in a while.
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I couldn't agree more with the importance of this rule, but striking the perfect balance between "good nutrition" and "relaxing the rules" is no easy task. And maybe that's because most American children are faced with processed, junk food on a regular basis (at birthday parties, friend's houses, church events, soccer practice, school celebrations, etc.). As I mentioned above, our society is (unfortunately) not exactly working together on these issues like they are in France. Regardless though, I agree it is not "healthy" to constantly be stressed out about the food you eat.
In addition to this list of rules there were so many other startling facts and insightful statements that I took away from this book. I wish I could share them all here, but since that's not a very practical idea I will instead just highly recommend that everyone go out and read the book yourselves! I promise you won't regret it...not to mention there are a handful of kid-friendly recipes in the back.
*THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED*
The winners are:
- Ann - "I abide by the kids eat what adults eat rule and don’t offer other options. We also stick to real foods, minimal sugar. So I think that helps kids eat real food without complaint."
- Emily - "My husband can be a picky eater, so my trick is preparing the same food a number of times. He may not like everything, but perseverance pays off!"
- Nicky - "Rule #6 is the big one in our house….even if you’ve tasted it 50 times, taste it again!"
Jennifer says
Let the picky eater help with meal prep. If she cooked it, then she will generally eat it!!
Deborah T. says
like
Deborah T. says
Try everything at least once.
nissa says
Like! FB fan too!
nissa says
My kids are not very picky, but we do have a rule that they have to at least take a bite of new foods.
Tracy Stone says
Serve them what the adults eat and make sure they at least get something into their mouth. They may not like it and spit it back out, but that will be one try. It will take many tries to get them to eat it!
Timmi says
I do what my parents did with me which is that if I didn't want to eat it that's fine just don't ask for anything else until your next meal. I notice my kids will finish it maybe 20 minutes later
Shannon says
like
Shannon says
You don't have to like it, you just have to try it. And, this is all there is for dinner.
gwen says
Be a good example! I am always chowing on vegetables and eventually my kids want to try it and think they are missing out! (:
sounds like a great book!
thanks!
Aimee says
Like!!
Shannon Kaeding says
Like
Agnes says
Like
Denise Williams says
like!!!!
Agnes says
My son is usually more excited to try new foods when he helps me prepare them. If all else fails, add cheese. :)
Shannon Kaeding says
My best picky eater tip? Start early introducing a variety of foods, including ones with strong flavor, and by no means hide the nutritional value of food from your kids. I have gotten all three of my kids to try and enjoy veggies by telling them how they will help them grow big, strong and healthy. Now, they talk about needing protein and vitamins and how they can get those things from their food.
Josephine says
LIKE!!
Aimee says
The rule in our house is "you must your age in veggies" (bites or peices) we started each child at age 2 and now at 6 and 4, both children willinging eat anything we serve even spinach and asparagus!
MaryBeth says
like
Kim says
Like you on Facebook
Josephine says
Snacks are limited to fruits/veggies and we've learned that leaving their food on the table after we are done eating & offering it if they ask for a snack works wonders!!!
Bree says
Like you on FB.
MaryBeth says
In our house the picky ones have to take "try bites" of everything before they can have more of anything. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Thanks for the chance!
Kim says
Persistence is key. And involving kids in food prep, its much more fun to eat what you've made!
Bree says
I just keep trying and trying new foods with my picky eater and eventually he'll taste it, even if it takes a year. Sometimes when it becomes familiar to him, it will seem not so scary.
Jenn says
I always include a fruit and veggie with the meal so the kids are eating something healthy and definitely let them help cook /pick out the meals...they will eat much better!!
kim says
like
kim says
Each week one of my kids gets to go grocery shopping with me, just the 2 of us. My special shopper gets to choose a favorite fruit or veg and a fruit/veg that is either new to them or not really liked.
amy says
I liked the fb page!
J Kleer says
Like, if there was a super like button on Facebook I'd click it frequently! Thanks for all the great posts. It's alot of hardwork - and appreciated!
amy says
Smoothies help me get in some extra veggies for the kiddos!
Becky Coy says
Like
Becky Coy says
No short order cooks! If they are really that hungry they will eat it.
Jennelle Jones says
Get kids to help with cooking, and generally they will try the food they helped with.
MJ says
Maybe I just got lucky but my daughter (12) has never ever been picky. I've been a vegetarian for 30+ years and she has been one since she first started eating. I never did get the "kids" food versus "adult food". She never ate baby food either. I started feeding her "real food" at 6 months - pureed of course or chopped up very fine. She started eating garlic and onions at 9 months and was eating my vegetarian dishes (grains, beans, quinoa) by 12 months. The only things she doesn't care for are mushrooms and olives - really. Who ever said that pizza, french fries, mac and cheese, and hot dogs were kids' food? Food is food, period.
Tami D. says
LIke
Tami D. says
When my boys were little we would make food art. They would get squares of cheese, triangles of meat, various colorful fruits, etc. We would make a masterpiece by arranging foods on the plate. Then the masterpiece went down the hatch. We made it fun and put them in charge of being creative.
Marian Khoury says
This is fabulous. i would never take the easy way out and allow my children to buy lunch at school because it was so unhealthy. Only in the last two years have the schools come around to providing healthier choices. Also, I'm all for the "family eats together" idea...and not the short-order cook of their choice. The home is not a restaurant.
Sara Z says
like
Sara Z says
My kids have always eaten just about anything, mostly because it's what was placed on the table. When they don't have the option of eating lots of junk, they don't!