How to Handle Picky Eaters: Nutritional Guidance from Experts | Ankura

Introduction
Picky eating is a common challenge many parents face, especially with preschool-aged children—between 14% to 50% of kids are reported as picky eaters. While most children eventually outgrow their selective eating habits, some struggle with strong food preferences, refusing crunchy or green foods, which can sometimes lead to serious nutrition and growth concerns like underweight or obesity. Understanding what picky eating really means, why it happens, and how to support your child’s healthy eating habits is key. Let’s dive into expert nutritional guidance to help you navigate picky eating with confidence.

Picky eating is also known as selective, fussy, faddy, or choosy eating, a common behavior in younger children, characterized by strong food preferences. It is defined by a variety of behaviours whereby a person is highly selective in what they eat and what they do not eat. Picky eaters will also sometimes not eat certain types or groups of food entirely, such as all crunchy foods, and sometimes they suddenly refuse to eat foods they once enjoyed. In a majority of these cases, the picky eating patterns go away after a few years. However, some instances of extremely selective eating can continue into adulthood. Picky eating becomes a serious problem when kids are eating so little or are undernourished.

The exact cause of selective eating is not well understood yet; however, can be broadly explained through nurture (environmental influences) and nature (genetic predispositions).

Picky eating negatively impacts a child’s health by leading to various issues, such as:

Ages 2 – 4 | Daily guidelines for girls | Daily guidelines for boys
Calories | 1000 – 1400 (depending on growth and activity level) | 1000 – 1600 (depending on growth and activity level)
Protein | 2 – 4 ounces | 2 – 5 ounces
Vegetables | 1 – 1.5 cups | 1 – 2 cups
Fruits | 1 – 1.5 cups | 1 – 1.5 cups
Grains | 3 – 5 ounces | 3 – 5 ounces
Dairy | 2 – 2.5 cups | 2 – 2.5 cups

 

Ages 5 to 8 | Daily guidelines for girls | Daily guidelines for boys
Calories | 1,200 – 2000 (depending on growth and activity level) | 1,400 – 2000 (depending on growth and activity level)
Protein | 3 – 5 ounces | 3 – 5.5 ounces
Vegetables | 1.5 – 2.5 cups | 1.5 – 2.5 cups
Fruits | 1 – 1.5 cups | 1 – 2 cups
Grains | 4 – 6 ounces | 4 – 6 ounces
Diary | 2.5 cups | 2.5 cups

 

Ages 9 to 13 | Daily guidelines for girls  | Daily guidelines for boys
Calories | 1,400 – 2,200 | 1,600 – 2,600
Protein | 4 – 6 ounces  | 5 – 6.5 ounces
Vegetables | 1.5 – 3 cups | 2 – 3.5 cups
Fruits | 1.5 – 2 cups | 1.5 – 2 cups
Grains | 5 – 7 ounces | 5 – 9 ounces
Diary  | 3 cups | 3 cups

Ages 14 – 18 | Daily guidelines for girl  | Daily guidelines for boys
Calories | 1800 – 2400  | 2000 – 3200
Protein | 5 – 6.5 ounces | 5.5 – 7 ounces
Vegetables | 2.5 – 3 cups | 2.5 – 4 cups
Fruits | 1.5 – 2 cups | 2 – 2.5 cups
Grains | 6 – 8 ounces | 6 – 10 ounces
Diary | 3 cups | 3 cups

 
When to seek help

Consult a dietitian or pediatrician as a parent if you notice the following changes in your kids, such as:

To encourage healthy eating in your kids who are picky eaters, focus on the following:

Picky eating is common in young children and usually improves over time, but can sometimes persist and impact nutrition and growth. Causes include sensory sensitivities, genetics, and developmental stages, while balanced meal planning and positive mealtime strategies can help. If picky eating leads to nutritional or growth concerns, consulting a pediatrician or dietitian is recommended.