How To Help Picky Eaters During The Holidays

The holiday season brings big meals and a bounty of different flavors; which can be challenging for picky eaters. Planning your holiday feast with a picky eater at the table, especially young children, takes patience and a little creativity.

Putting together a holiday meal that everyone can enjoy can be a daunting proposition, but fortunately there are easy options for crowd pleasing meals. Instead of spending your time cooking dozens of dishes, you can order a Bob Evans Farmhouse Feast which is already prepared and ready to heat, serve and enjoy with family, friends and the picky eaters in your life.

Ordering a prepared meal can be a life-saver for those with selective tastes as main dishes, side dishes, and desserts can be customized to please everyone at your table. To make it even easier, we’ve put together our top five tips to help you create the perfect Bob Evans Farmhouse Feast for picky eaters.

Choose one foolproof, go-to dish

Whether you’re planning on celebrating the holidays at your home or a family members, be sure to offer or bring at least one food you know your child will enjoy. Having at least one kid-friendly dish guarantees they will eat something during the meal.

If there will be several kids, be sure to double up on kid-friendly options. You’ve never heard a kid (or adult!) complain about having too much Bob Evans mac & cheese.

Include your picky eater during meal planning

A child who helps choose the foods that will be offered during a holiday meal are much more likely to eat it. Try asking your child if they would be interested in helping you plan the perfect holiday meal.

Independence is a key part to helping a picky eater. Giving them the option to express their opinion on what should be on the table can help build confidence. Be sure to ask direct questions like “what is your favorite side” or giving clear options that they can select.

Get them in the kitchen

Speaking of confidence, getting your kids in the kitchen to help prepare the holiday meal can be a game changer. Cooking is a great opportunity to have picky eaters see how dishes are put together and may open them up to new flavors when they have a part in creating the meal.

With a Farmhouse Feast, the main cooking is already done and the dishes just need to be heated before serving. Because of its simplicity, getting a Farmhouse Feast ready offers you the chance to put your child “in charge” of preparing one of the dishes. Check out our guide on how to prepare your feast to find an option that would be suitable for them in the kitchen.

Letting children take ownership of details like the menu, preparing the meal and even how the table is set will make them feel more invested when it comes time to serve the feast.

Try similar menu items

If you know your son or daughter loves a specific holiday dish, encourage them to try other holiday favorites that have similar colors, flavors and textures. For example, if your child loves pumpkin pie, try adding sweet potatoes to their meal.

Sometimes a picky eater doesn’t even know what they like or don’t like. They just need an extra push to expand their tastebuds.

Eat with your senses

All of our senses are in play with a great holiday meal. The smells from your oven, the look of your table, the sounds of the season, the feel of a warm roll and, of course, the taste of delicious holiday foods. Engaging all these senses can help picky eaters get more comfortable with new foods.

With Bob Evans Farmhouse Feast and a little bit of patience, you can create a memorable and comfortable holiday dinner sure to satisfy all the picky eaters at your table. Order ahead for pickup or have your Feast delivered (where available) and enjoy the holidays together.