5 Holiday Survival Tips for Picky Eaters

The information here is strictly educational and not medical advice. It should not substitute professional medical consultation.

The holidays are here, and if you're the parent of a picky eater, you might already be feeling that familiar knot of anxiety forming in your stomach. Picture this: Grandma's famous casserole, Uncle Joe's well-meaning comments about "just trying one bite," and your child looking like they're facing down a culinary battlefield. Sound familiar? Take a deep breath. This year is going to be different.

Understanding the Holiday Eating Challenge: More Than Just Picky Eating

Let's start by acknowledging the real complexity of holiday meals for our sensitive eaters. It's not just about food—it's about sensory overload, unfamiliar environments, and social pressures that can send a picky eater into complete shutdown mode. Those festive gatherings that look picture-perfect in movies? Many families are actually in a carefully navigated emotional minefield.

Research shows that children, especially those with sensory sensitivities or feeding challenges, experience holiday meals differently. New sounds, smells, textures, and social expectations can trigger significant stress responses. What looks like stubbornness is often a sophisticated survival mechanism (1).

Research has also shown that children with more taste/smell sensitivity may reject foods because of their smell before tasting them or avoid those with intense flavors.  Moreover, it has been observed that these children are more likely to refuse foods that have more significant variations in texture, smell, and taste, such as fruits and vegetables (1)

Noises from food preparation, handling, and use of utensils and conversations that may occur during mealtimes may result in reduced food intake.  This is especially true during the holidays when there are new sounds, new smells, and so many new foods to look at.  

So, what can we do about it to help make the holidays and mealtimes a little less stressful?  Let’s dive in! 

Strategy 1: Maintain Consistent Meal Patterns Routine

Think of meal routines as emotional anchors for your child. When everything else feels unpredictable—travel, family gatherings, disrupted schedules—consistent eating times provide a sense of safety and control.  

I know it can feel challenging to maintain any sort of routine with all the festivities and activities.  But it’s less about perfectly curated schedules and more about the consistency in their routine.  

• Amidst the travel and activities, try to maintain similar eating times (roughly 2-3 hours between), even if that means bringing balanced meals and snacks with you on the go.  Regular eating routines and patterns do not have to mean sitting at the table for every single meal or snack.  But the more consistently you can offer them meals while everything else is different around them, the more they can feel supported, and regulated and have reduced fight-or-flight response.  
  
  Predictable mealtimes help regulate hunger cues and reduce emotional eating responses. They're not just about nutrition—they're about emotional security.
  

• Make sure eating opportunities (yes, even snacks) contain balanced food groups.  Aiming to have a source of protein, fiber, and fat at each meal or snack can help fill up their tiny tummies and keep them full longer.  This can help regulate their appetite, which in turn regulates their mood and emotions.  
  

• Communicate schedule changes to your child in advance.  If you know things will be different with your typical routine, giving your kiddo a heads-up may help reduce the in-the-moment shock that comes with the change.  
  
  To them it feels abrupt and all of a sudden which can cause fear, worry, and uncertainty.  Predictability is comforting for kids, especially picky eaters.  For example, if you are going to Grandma’s for a holiday meal, let them know so they can anticipate it’s coming.  You may even choose to talk about what they might see there, “We’re eating at Grandma’s tonight, and there will be foods you recognize and some new ones you may want to explore.”  

  
  Pro Tip: If dinner at Grandma's is running late, have a small, familiar snack ready. This prevents hunger-induced meltdowns and helps your child stay regulated.  Also, know it’s okay to eat before you go so your child can focus on the environment around them and less on being stressed about what's on their plate. 
  
  

Strategy 2: Offer Familiar Options Alongside New Foods

With the holidays (and maybe even regular mealtimes at home) new foods can be an overwhelming experience for picky eaters.  Even just the simple sight of food can trigger a reaction.  For many kids, the appearance of food is highly likely to make an impact on whether they accept it or not (2).  So, asking them to “just take a bite” is more than overwhelming if they are triggered by how it looks.  Instead think of strategic placement and removing the pressure to try it.  

Here’s what I mean

• Place trusted foods near new dishes

• Allow visual and sensory exploration without expectation

• Let your child interact with food on their own terms: 

Why This Works:

• Familiar foods create a psychological safety net

• Proximity allows natural curiosity to develop

• Removes the emotional battle around eating which can reduce their stress response and keep them in a calmer state of mind and out of “survival mode” (aka, help them feel more inclined to try new things).  

  
  Pro tip: Exposure is the first step to acceptance. Seeing, smelling, and touching are all valuable interactions with food.  

Strategy 3: Involve Kids in Holiday Prep Transforming Cooking into Connection

When children participate in meal preparation, something magical happens. They move from being passive recipients to active contributors without even realizing it.  Research supports it may take 10-15 (or more) positive experiences and exposures to a new food before a child accepts it.2 (3)  Each interaction they have with a new food, whether it shows up on their plate or not, counts towards exposing them. So, having them help with food preparation or in the kitchen can be a great way to do that.  

Developmental Benefits:

• Reduces food-related anxiety

• Builds confidence

• Creates positive associations with food creation

• It’s fun and feels like play time.  Sensory play using foods is a great way to increase acceptance of new foods (4)

Fun Involvement Ideas:

• Decorating cookies

• Arranging veggie platters

• Stirring ingredients

• Choosing serving dishes

Pro Tip: Keep it light, playful, and pressure-free. Give choices like, "Would you like to sprinkle the marshmallows or arrange the vegetable platter?"  Ask them curiosity-provoking questions to pique their interest. 

Strategy 4: Set Realistic Expectations: The Mindset Shift

Let's reframe success. A successful holiday meal isn't about how many bites your child takes. It's about connection, comfort, and creating positive memories.

Psychological Perspective:

• Reduce mealtime pressure

• Celebrate exploration over consumption

• Use encouraging, neutral language

Instead of: "Why won't you eat anything?" Try: "I love how you're exploring the foods on your plate!"

Recommended Language Toolkit:

• "I noticed you're looking at the green beans. What do you think about them?"

• "Would you like to tell me about the colors on your plate?"

• "I'm enjoying spending time with you during this meal."

Pro Tip: If your child tolerated a food being in their presence without a fight, know that is progress and you should celebrate that! 

Strategy 5: The Ultimate Holiday Nutrition Hack

Focus on family, laughter, and connection. Not clean plates.

Holidays are about creating memories, sharing stories, and enjoying each other's company. Your child's nutritional journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

This is your invitation to let go of the stress this holiday season.  Let go of the feeling of it all needing to be perfect.  Embrace the joy of the season and if it’s a little messy and meals aren’t perfectly eaten, that’s okay! 

Summary

Navigating holiday meals with a picky eater can be challenging, remember your five transformative strategies:

1. Maintain Consistent Meal Patterns: Create emotional anchors through predictable eating routines.

2. Gentle Food Exposure: Place familiar foods near new dishes to reduce stress and encourage exploration.

3. Involve Kids in Preparation: Transform cooking into a connection opportunity that reduces food anxiety.

4. Shift Expectations: Celebrate food exploration over consumption and use encouraging language.

5. Focus on Connection: Prioritize family memories and joy over perfect meal experiences.

You're not alone. You're not failing. You're navigating a complex journey with love, patience, and incredible parental superpowers. 

Are ready to transform your approach?

 👉 Grab Your Free Picky Eater Playbook 👈

Your free step-by-step roadmap to tackling commonly refused food groups:

A simple, no-nonsense guide to transform mealtime struggles into progress.

• Discover fun, pressure-free strategies to make foods more appealing so your kiddo will actually eat them 

• Access kid-approved recipes your whole family will enjoy 

• Get practical tips to keep mealtimes calm, joyful, and positive

• Disclaimer

  Medical/General: The content, information, opinions, and suggestions listed here have been created with typically developing children and babies in mind. The information here is generalized for a broad audience. The information here should by no means be used as a substitute for medical advice or for any circumstance be used in place of emergency services. Your child is an individual and may have needs or considerations beyond generally accepted practices. If your child has underlying medical or developmental differences, including but not limited to prematurity, developmental delay, sensory processing differences, gastrointestinal differences, cardiopulmonary disease processes, or neurological differences, we strongly recommend you discuss your child's feeding plan with the child's doctor, health care provider or therapy team. By accessing this site and the information in it, you acknowledge and agree that you are accepting responsibility for your child’s health and well-being. By using and accepting the information on this site, the author (Cierra Crowley) is not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions discussed. It is important to talk to your child’s pediatrician or medical provider to start anything new or make any changes.

  Affiliation: this page contains affiliate links from which I can earn small commissions (at no additional cost to you).

• References

  1. Campos-Sánchez, I., Muñoz-Sánchez, R., Navarrete-Muñoz, E. M., Molina-Iñigo, M. S., Hurtado-Pomares, M., Fernández-Pires, P., Sánchez-Pérez, A., Prieto-Botella, D., Juárez-Leal, I., Peral-Gómez, P., Espinosa-Sempere, C., & Valera-Gran, D. (2023). Association between sensory reactivity and feeding problems in school-aged children: InProS Study. Appetite, 107108. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.107108
     

  2. Dazeley, P., Houston-Price, C., & Hill, C. (2012). Should healthy eating programmes incorporate interaction with foods in different sensory modalities? A review of the evidence. The British journal of nutrition, 108(5), 769–777. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114511007343
     
     

  3. Taylor, C. M., & Emmett, P. M. (2019). Picky eating in children: causes and consequences. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 78(2), 161–169. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665118002586
     

  4. Coulthard, H., & Sealy, A. (2017). Play with your food! Sensory play is associated with tasting of fruits and vegetables in preschool children. Appetite, 113, 84–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.02.003