4 tips for dealing with an adult picky eater

Chef, Sandi Richard shares 4 tips for breaking the bad habits of an adult picky eater.

Do you have someone in your household that is a picky eater and over the age of 20 years old? This is what we call “picky adults”. A spouse will say things like, how is it my husband won’t eat a tomato but loves bruschetta. Or how he claims he hates bananas but devours banana bread. Or she hates avocado, but loves guacamole. Chef, Sandi Richard shares 4 tips on how you can break the bad habits of a picky adult.

Tip #1

  • Texture – Rather than flavor is often the culprit when it comes to turning your nose up at a particular food.
  • Try and look for textures you like or foods you like and see if you can incorporate them together.
  • Probably why banana bread isn’t a problem even though it has a strong banana flavor – the texture isn’t the same.

Tip #2

  • Invest in a steamer!
  • There is nothing wrong with some people eating a vegetable raw and others having it cooked.
  • It takes no extra effort to put the vegetables together if you want them steamed so just leave some out.

Tip #3

  • Take a look at what you are serving with the food he or she despises.
  • Maybe the texture of avocado is too mushy for toast or salad but when you add other flavors to the great green wonder and put corn chips beside it to change the texture.
  • Tomatoes may feel gushy on a hamburger but fabulous on a little thin piece of garlicky crusty bread.

Tip #4

  • Look carefully at the food triggers before you judge your partner.
  • Share with your spouse the things your mom or dad did when you were growing up, that created your aversion to a particular food. Was it the way it was cooked or purchased?
  • I was raised on canned peas and gagged at the thought of ever eating a pea again in my life. The first time I had a real pea-everything changed!

To help with adult picky eaters, try Sandi’s asparagus wrap recipe.

Sandi’s Cheater Guacamole

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup mashed avocado (approx. 2-3 ripe avocados)
  • 1/2 cup salsa of choice
  • 1 squeeze of lime juice
  • Fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Slice the avocado into a bowl and mash it with a fork.
  2. Add chunky salsa.
  3. Add lime juice and fresh pepper.