10 magic words/phrases to use with a fussy eater

The words we say to our child can be enormously powerful. We watch their face light up when we say something complimentary or them hang their head when we are disappointed. If we have a fussy eater picking the right words around food can be very important, but also often tricky.

It can seem like nothing we say is the ‘right’ thing. Either our child is anxious or upset or we feel like we’re giving in and doing the ‘wrong’ thing but making them happy.

I’ve compiled a list of words that can be a great addition to the vocabulary and really can make a big difference around food and feeding. They can change the dynamic at meals and even encourage a child to be more receptive to new foods.

Magic words or phrases to use with a fussy eater

1. “Yet” — anyone who works with me knows this is one of my favourite words! Often when we have a fussy eater both they and us have closed off the possibility of them eating a new food.

A child frequently looks at a new food and says, “I don’t like it”. Instead, I love to rephrase that as “this is not my favourite thing yet”. Opening their mind to the possibility that later they may be able to eat it, is very important.

2. “I like this because” — it’s very tempting to tell our child they will like something…