Many parents have dealt with fussy eaters at some stage.
And while it's natural to worry whether your child is getting enough food, giving them too many options is the biggest mistake you can make says mum and dietician Sarah Derry.
Posting on her Instagram page Nourishing Picky Eaters, Sarah said that parents give their kids "too much control" over meals.
"Try to avoid asking your child what they want to eat for meals and snacks," she said.
"It is YOUR job as the parent to decide what’s on the menu, while being considerate of your child’s likes and dislikes.
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"If you ask them… 'do you want pb&j for lunch?' you are setting yourself up for a 'NO!'
"If you ask them… 'what do you want for lunch' they will choose their favorite foods every. Single. Time! That’s now their little brains work!!
"These questions give your child too much control and can fuel the picky eating cycle."
Instead, she says parents should decide on what the family is going to eat and give them a choice of snack.
For example, Sarah would say: "we’re having grilled cheese for lunch, would you like apple slices or grapes with it?"
"That way, YOU are controlling the options," she explains, "while still giving them some power, AND you can ensure that you are meeting their nutritional needs and exposing them to a variety of foods, which is 100% necessary to help them overcome their picky eating!"
Parents loved the idea, and many were keen to give it a try themselves, as one person said: "Oh this is great advice!! Thank you!"
Another wrote: "You’re so right. The second I stopped offering choices and just made the damn lunch the power struggle stopped."
A third added: "Love this! I am a bit more picky than my kid but I will always give him a few options. 'Do you want carrots or broccoli?' or 'would you rather have a sandwich or soup?' Saved my entire life when I found this hack. Love love love it so much!!"
But another mum who uses this technique with her daughter says she's still struggling to get her to eat foods other than macaroni cheese and doughnuts.
She said: "Okay but I’m still confused … I offer her multiple choices and she’s okay with saying no. But I can’t let her starve so last resort is giving her foods I know she will say yes to for example her favorite foods like goldfish, Mac n cheese, donuts."
Sarah replied saying: "There should always be at least 1 food that she likes at every meal and snack. You can offer new foods on the side of it. So you decide what is offered while still be considerate, and then after that it’s up to her to decide IF she is going to eat it and how much she wants to eat."
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