Easy Ways to Get Picky Eaters to Eat More Fiber

If you’re looking for easy ways to get your picky eater to eat more fiber, you aren’t alone! Around 95% of kids are not eating enough fiber which contributes to poor digestion and frequent bouts of hunger (1).

Because picky eaters often struggle with strong taste and textural preferences, it’s common for them to avoid some of the highest fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. As a result, picky eaters are at a higher risk for GI issues with hard stool and constipation (2).

To make sure your little one gets everything they need, let’s review some picky-eater approved fiber options and practical tips to incorporate them.

How Much Fiber Do Kids Need?

Giving your kids enough fiber starts with knowing how much they need.

According to theCleveland Health Clinic, the recommended fiber intake per day for kids is:

• 1-3 years old: 19 grams

• 4-8 years old: 25 grams

• 9-13 years old: 26-31 grams

Fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.

There’s little risk in eatingtoomuch fiber, as long as it’s added gradually. Increasing fiber too quickly can lead to bloating and tummy aches, so it’s best to introduce these foods slowly over the course of a week.

Practical Ways to Increase Fiber Intake

With picky eaters, it’s more than about justknowing which foods are high in fiber,  it’s about getting your kids toactuallyeat them! 

Many picky eaters have issues with the textures, flavors, or smell of fiber-rich foods which can make traditional options difficult. Here are some practical and evidence-based ideas that will slowly get your little one more fiber in their system.

1. Switch Up Their Fruits

Although not the case for all picky eaters, fruit is usually one of the most well-accepted versions of fiber. To optimize the fiber content in fruit, offer some of the denser fiber versions like raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, kiwi, or blueberries.

2. Utilize Seeds - Chia, Hemp, & Flax

Seeds are a great fiber option for picky eaters because they’re tiny and mostly tasteless. Plus, they’re densely packed with 4-5 grams of fiber per tablespoon. 

Try mixing into yogurts or oatmeal, baked into healthy treats, or even sprinkled onto sandwich spreads.

3. Get Your Kiddo Involved in Food Prep

Picky eaters often get overwhelmed with the sensory stimulation of fiber-rich foods. The taste, smell, and textures of vegetables and beans can lead to an automatic rejection. 

Giving kids a hands-on activity with food (with no expectation to eat it) can help them explore the sensory stimuli without the stress. This will eventually lead to more food acceptance when they see it on their plate down the road!

4. Blend It

To avoid the texture concern of fiber-rich foods, blending them is a great option that doesn’t alter the fiber content! Blend beans or veggies into soup broths, fruit into yogurts, or a mix of fruits, veggies, or seeds into smoothies.

5. Choose Fiber-Rich Carbs

Picky eaters usually don’t have a problem eating carbohydrates (the classic “whiteatarian diet”). The good news is, you can optimize these carbs to have some fiber in them! 

Even if they aren’t fully “whole wheat”, there are higher-fiber versions of bagels, pasta, tortillas, and sandwich bread for your picky eater to try.

6. Introduce Fiber Using Play

Many picky eaters have formed an immediate rejection to “anything green” before even touching, smelling, or interacting with it. Instead of begging them to try a bite, think about inviting them to interact with it using play. 

Examples of this include“Should we have a crunch contest? Who can crunch the loudest?” or“My broccoli looks like a forest, should we build some mountains with our mashed potatoes?”. 

Play is a less stressful or threatening way to get your kiddo to interact with something new on their plate which makes them more likely to taste it later on.

7. Use a Fiber Supplement

Although the “food first” approach is a priority, it can be stressful as a parent to make sure your kids are constantly getting enough through food. 

Fiber supplements are some of the most well-studied supplements and effective ways to help kids achieve their daily fiber goals. Plus, supplements like Begin Health Growing Up Prebiotics are tasteless and textureless which makes them perfect for picky eaters. Simply mix them into any beverage or food to pack in 3 grams of fiber and gut-healthy prebiotics.  

Summary

Getting kids to eat enough fiber can be difficult, especially for picky eaters who have strong texture and taste preferences. But with creative strategies and working with the foods they already enjoy, they can absolutely meet their fiber goals and optimize their gut health.