Picky Eater Prevention
As you may know, my husband went to a military college.
What you may not know is that I worked at that same military college one summer, when the barracks housed a mix of boys and girls ages 10-15.
(If you’re wondering, Scott and I were ships passing in the night—we met years later).
Since I was a “camp counselor,” I had to report a week before the kids arrived for training, cutting all my hair off, getting my uniform, yada yada.
Food at the mess hall was unappetizing to say the least.
I furrowed my brow, contorted my face in all kinds of ways, sniffed a bite, and put it down.
“How are you eating THAT?” I asked the guys around me (fellow counselors who attended as cadets during the school year).
A senior officer said to me, “You’ll get hungry, and you’ll eat.”
A week later, I found myself saying the exact same thing to my campers as I ate my dinner and they (grossed out) asked ME how I could stomach it.
It’s true though—you eventually get hungry enough, and you’ll eat.
I lasted about three days on canned peaches and bread…
and by the END of camp?
I thought the food was “pretty good.” (I’d even favored a few of the dishes!)
(Scott confirmed he had the same experience at the start of every school year).
I was reminded of this experience when a friend shared an article, “Do Kids Need to Snack? What the French Know That We Don’t”
My favorite line?
“Americans try to prevent hunger. The French cultivate it.”
I always FEARED hunger.
If I was even the littlest bit hungry, I would worry and go look for a snack, choosing whatever was convenient or instant (aka not a good choice).
When I stopped snacking, I realized it’s OKAY to be hungry—it’s even beneficial.
I enjoyed my meals more!
Most importantly, I learned even if I AM hungry, I CAN wait.
“You’ll get hungry, and you’ll eat.”
It’s true that it takes a while for your tastes to change (and if you keep eating salt, sugar, oil, fat, processed blah blah, the cycle will restart…)
BUT
Picky eaters need to be hungry.
Cultivate that hunger—and you’ll enjoy your meal more that way too!
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