If you've got a picky eater then meal times can be super frustrating for parents and children alike.

Figuring out if you have a fussy eater isn't difficult , but identifying WHY is crucial if you are going to be able to help them become more adventurous with their eating.

There are many reasons why a child might be a picky eater, ranging from sensory issues with food, to more physiological factors that affect their eating.

But figuring out the underlying reasons beyond their fussy eating is the first and most helpful step you can take to expand their palate and start trying a wider variety of foods.

5 Questions To Consider Asking Your Picky Eater

1. What textures do you dislike?

An aversion to certain textures is really quite common amongst fussy eaters. Some picky eaters may struggle with "slimy" textures and seek out more "crunchy" textures.

If you know that your child struggles with textures, then you might want to look at my Fussy Eaters & Food Texture Tips  over on the My Fussy Eater Blog for a more in depth look at this.

2. Do certain smells bother you?

Strong or unfamiliar smells can really put children off trying new foods before they have even taken a bite.

And remember that everybody's sense of smell is different. So even if you don't think something smells particularly strong, it may feel overwhelming to a picky eater.

3. Do you mind different foods touching?

Even as adults, sometimes we just don't like certain foods touching one another on the plate!

This could be because one food might make another food "soggy" or "wet" or it could just be that they prefer to be able to taste the foods separately. By keeping foods separate, it helps to give the picky eater a sense of control.

4. What are your favourite foods? And Why Do You Like Those Foods?

Talking about what foods they like and why they particularly like them can be key in firstly serving up these "comfort" foods at the same time as new foods you want them to try.

I go into greater detail in my How To Introduce New Foods To Fussy Eaters post about this if you are looking for guidance on the best way to do this.

Learning what characteristics their favourite foods have can help you look for new foods that may have some similar characteristics for them to try.

5. What colour foods do you like or dislike?

Again identifying and understanding what it is about certain foods that put picky eaters off them is key.

Before we have even taken a bite out of a food, we often judge how we think it might taste it purely based on colour which might put a picky eater off even trying a taste.

To sum up, by asking thoughtful questions and discussing individual preferences and sensitivities you can get invaluable insights into why your child might not want to eat certain foods.

With that individualised knowledge, you can then suitably tailor your approach when you are trying to help them expand their diet and willingness to try new foods.