Good eaters naturally use all their senses. Have you ever observed a toddler who’s been defined as a “good eater”? Nicole just turned two and mealtimes are always an adventure for her. She regularly bypasses the spoon and picks up food in her hands, feeling its texture before taking a bite.

Without any prompting or encouragement, I observed her reaction the first time sweet potatoes were offered for dinner. She picked up and examined a piece of the tuber. Next, she squashed it between her fingers. Her joy was evident as the warm sweet potato pressed through her fingers and plopped onto her plate. Nicole didn’t immediately taste it, but continued in her discovery of the cooked sweet potato’s attributes. She then concentrated on the rest of her meal. Eventually, she came back to it and a small sample found its way into her mouth.

Even grade school children, like Angel,
can learn to love whole foods
when multi-sensory learning is incorporated.

Baby Bites integrates multi-sensory learning into mealtimes. This is accomplished for the preschooler and toddler through directed-play with two plastic toys, Try Rannosaurus and Betty Baby Bites. It’s through directed-play and positive encouragement that even the most resistant picky eater will learn to love whole foods.The first objective isn’t a plate licked clean, but for your youngster to become familiar and comfortable with all food.

The Baby Bite steps are effective because they include all the way children learn. Children learn using all their senses. We think that taste alone should be enough to convince a child to eat a new food, but taste is the last sense to incorporate.

Nicole intuitively explored the new food using five sensory techniques: visual, tactile, kinesthetic, olfactory, and taste. Auditory and talking are included when you discuss the food which is being eaten. Older picky eaters need to incorporate all their senses during meals as well. This is accomplished by first purging the pantry of all junk foods, because older kids will help themselves when they’re hungry. You’ll never get a kid who just ate a snack a half hour before mealtime to try anything predetermined to be yucky.

All your kid’s senses must be included during mealtime, just as with a toddler, only with a twist. Touching and experiencing foods are essential. Helping with food preparation is a natural way to incorporate a tactile experience. Grade school kids can help by reading recipes, locating ingredients in the pantry and refrigerator. Chopping veggies and combining ingredients for a meal. Food is always more interesting when a picky eater has helped to prepare it.

Click Here to read “Transform Your Picky Eater.”

If your picky eater is constantly winning food battles, you’ll want to read Nonna Joann Bruso’s book, Baby Bites: Transforming a Picky Eater into a Healthy Eater, Click Here.