"In The US, It's Macaroni And Pizza": American Asks What Little Picky-Eaters Around The World Eat (30 Posts)

Ciara Attwell, founder of the family food blog My Fussy Eater and mom-of-two, has been covering this tricky topic extensively since 2014.

"First of all, I think it's important for parents to know that fussy eating is extremely common," the author of 'We're Hungry!' told Bored Panda. "Parents will often blame themselves but so many children go through picky phases at different times. Don't feel bad or guilty about it at all. There's lots that you can do to help your child going forward."

You can start by introducing only one new food at a time. "We don't want to overwhelm the child and potentially increase any fear or anxiety they have around new foods. For moderate fussy eaters, I would recommend introducing one new food every 3 days and for more severe fussy eaters maybe even one a week," Attwell explained.

"Also, don't overwhelm the child with a whole plate of the new food. Add just a small amount to their plate alongside lots of foods that they know and love. I call this the 80/20 Rule — 80% safe foods and 20% new foods."

Keep in mind that this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. "With very fussy kids, your goal when first introducing a child to a new food isn't to get them to eat it, it's to get them to accept that food on their plate," Attwell highlighted. "If they remove it the first couple of times, that's ok. It's all part of the process."

"Once the child has accepted the food on their plate, then it's time to get them to interact with it. That's touching it, smelling it... Everything except for asking them to taste it. Let them build up to this in their own time. Patience is key!"

When they look like they're ready to make the leap, Attwell suggests asking them to try what she calls TTT — teeny tiny tastes. "Let them know that it's ok if they don't like it," she said. "After one bite, they can put the food down and leave it there. Once they have tried it but told you that they don't want to try anymore, don't force them to try it again. It's important that you gain their trust and they know that they are not being forced into it."

The actual food aside, there are other ways in which you can try to ease your kid into exploring their taste buds. Like consistent mealtime schedules. "Choose a time of the day or even day of the week when kids are alert and relaxed and not tired," Attwell said.

"Evening time is probably the worst time for most children, especially when they are young. They are too tired by 5 PM to start trying new foods so choose a time earlier in the day when they are more likely to engage with the process. Weekends are also great to get children to try new foods. They will be less tired and more open to exploring new tastes and textures."

Even though you control what, where, and when food is provided, remember, it is your child that ultimately decides whether or not to eat it and how much to eat.