125: Picky Eating: 4 Possible Cultural Root Causes (& Prevention Strategies)

I was asked a question on a podcast interview the other day that I’ve never been asked before – “WHY are there so many picky eaters these days?”

It really does feel like it’s an epidemic, far different than our childhood.

What gives? I have 4 theories as to the underpinnings, and those lend a hand to create a playbook to avoid picky eating in your own kids if they’re young enough to circumvent bad habits.

That’s GREAT news with MUCH hope!

I’m going to be unpacking a lot of habits, expectations, and attitudes that can banish picky eating power struggles from your mealtimes during the FREE 5-day No More Picky Eating Challenge. We already have thousands of families on board, committing to making one small change each day so that they never again have to say, “I just want my kids to eat what I make!”

Save your Seat!

It has to be said of course that there are many biological root causes to picky eating too, and we’ll dip our toe into that during the challenge as well.

All are welcome!

Can’t see the video? Find out the 4 root causes of picky eating here on YouTube.

4 Root Causes of Picky Eating

• 0:15: Today we’re talking about picky eating! Why are there so many picky eaters these days?
• 0:54: I have at least four theories about why we seem to have more picky eaters now than ever before. I’ll also share 4 preventative strategies you can start now with your little kiddos.
• 1:57: In all my research and work with families learning how to cook the 4 causes of picky eating I see come from culture, change in parenting, physiology, and psychology.
• 2:21: First we’ll address culture. As a culture, we’ve separated kids’ food and adult food. Kids aren’t expected to eat what we eat…so they don’t. Look at any kids menu, cafeteria menu, or convenience food marketed towards kids. Watch my faux TED talk for more on the problems with kid food.

• 3:20: So many moms tell me that their dream is just to cook one meal for dinner. I hear from women who love cooking and want to enjoy cooking for their family and eating together, but every meal ends in power struggles.
• 4:32: Parenting has changed a lot since I was a kid in the 80s. Most people my age say they weren’t picky eaters because they didn’t have the choice. They were forced to eat everything, sitting at the table for hours until they’d finished their meal or served their leftovers for breakfast the next day.

• 5:22: I also hear from many of these same parents that being forced to eat everything had a negative impact on their relationship with food long term. I don’t believe the old school “clean plate club” model is the best choice, but I do think the pendulum has gone too far in the opposite direction.
• 6:09: We have an epidemic of helicopter parenting and doing everything for our kids. All the fear wrapped up in helicopter parenting leads to worries over our kids not eating enough, or not liking their food, and more short-order cooking. My interview with author Julie Lythcott-Haimes about the dangers of helicopter parenting.
• 8:32: My third theory is that highly sensitive people are increasing and that increases picky eating. Eating is a very sensory experience. Smells and textures can be very overwhelming to an HSP. Is your child highly sensitive? Find out here.
• 9:29: I wonder if we’re getting more sensitive due to increased toxins in our environment, blue light, screen use, and all the increased sensory stimulus we encounter.
• 10:58: My final root cause for picky eating is increased stress in kids. I interviewed some teachers a few years ago and they said they can feel how much more stressed kids are these days even than just 10 years ago. Building resilience in your kids to reduce stress.

• 13:51: So now what!? What four strategies can we use to prevent picky eating with our little toddlers? You can use these strategies with older kids as well, they just work best before the child is a picky eater.
• 14:22: Firstly, commit to no short-order cooking. You don’t need to force your kids to eat what you make, but you also don’t need to make 3 dinners every day.
•  15:42: I encourage parents to have some variety at each meal. Make at least one thing your child likes, but also 2-3 other elements to the meal.
• 16:32: Kids don’t want you to be their friend or their servant. They need you to be an authority figure to set boundaries. We need to set rules that will keep our kids safe, help them learn, and give them choices within boundaries.
• 18:33: Allow your kids to have preferences. If your child has a sensory issue with a food allow them to express that and honor it. Maybe your child has a hard time chewing meat unless it’s ground meat or shredded slow cooker meat. Maybe they like crunchy foods, but not mushy foods. Read about the tiny salad strategy here.

• 19:43: A quick tip is to allow your child to have involvement with foods without the pressure of eating them. This can be helping choose foods, cooking, or playing with foods. Anything that allows them to be exposed to those textures and smells with no pressure to taste. Playing with food is an important developmental step!
• 20:15: Reduce stress at the table to reduce kids’ anxiety around food. If we have firm rules or a “clean plate club” our kids will resist and boom you have a power struggle.
• 21:43: Changing the language you use can have a huge impact on your kids’ stress levels around food.

Power struggles definitely don’t work for anyone. -Katie Kimball

• 24:08: We’re starting a 5-day FREE picky eating challenge on April 21st. You can totally join anytime during the challenge and catch up. There’s one simple step to take each day to see changes in your kids!

More Resources to Tackle the Root Causes Behind Picky Eating

• My FREE picky eating challenge
• Redefining a “kid’s meal”
• Raising successful adults with Julie Lythcott-Haimes
• Understanding your highly sensitive child
• Reduce stress by raising resilient kids
• Solve picky eating with the tiny salad trick
• The importance of letting kids play with food
• Strategies for kids with sensory processing disorder
• Is it picky eating or something deeper?
• Picky eater strategies: science-backed!
• Picky eating solutions using all 8 senses
• 10 ways to get kids to eat more veggies with no tricks!