The Picky Eating Fix: 21 Days to a Fearless Eater

Table of Contents

A clinical intervention to end mealtime battles and expand your child’s nutritional horizons.

This program shifts the focus from “getting them to eat” to “building a curious palate.” I use the Sensory Food Ladder—a proven pediatric technique to desensitise children to new textures and smells without the tears.

📅 The 3-Week Syllabus

Week 1: The Sensory Reset (De-Escalating the Table)

Goal: Remove the “fight or flight” response associated with new foods.

The “No-Pressure” Protocol: Establishing the Division of Responsibility (Parent decides what/when, child decides how much).
Food Play & Exploration: Using non-eating activities (touching, smelling, licking) to reduce “Food Neophobia” (the fear of the unknown).
The “Safe Plate” Anchor: Learning how to pair one “hero” (accepted) food with one “challenge” food to prevent meltdowns.

Week 2: Flavor Bridging & The “Micro-Tasting” Method

Goal: Using “Food Science” to bridge the gap between “beige” foods and “bold” foods.

The Texture Bridge: If they like crispy fries, we move to crispy roasted carrots. If they like smooth yogurt, we move to smooth mango puree.
The 1/4 Inch Rule: Introducing “micro-tastes”—portions so small they aren’t intimidating—to build up the 15–20 exposures required for clinical acceptance.
Nutrient Masking vs. Transparency: When to hide the veggies and when to celebrate them to build long-term trust.

Week 3: The Autonomy & Habit Phase

Goal: Empowering the child to choose variety independently.

The “Brave Bite” Reward System: Implementing a dopamine-positive (non-food) reward loop for trying new things.
The Tiffin/School Box Strategy: How to ensure they eat their variety at school when you aren’t there to watch.
DIY Meal Assembly: Using “Build-Your-Own” stations (Tacos, Buddha Bowls, or Parathas) to give the child a sense of control over their plate.

🛠️ The Picky Eating Fix Toolkit

Feature	What the Parent Gets
The Flavor Bridge Map	A visual guide on how to transition from “beige” foods to “colorful” foods.
The 5-Minute “Safe” Recipes	21 kid-approved meals that look familiar but are nutritionally dense.
The “SOS” Script	A “cheat sheet” on exactly what to say when your child says, “I’m not eating that.”
Growth Check	A mid-program review of weight-for-age percentiles to ensure caloric intake remains steady.

Enrollment & Investment

Duration: 21 Days (The “New Habit” Window).
Investment: SGD 199
Includes: The Picky Eating Recipe Vault, Weekly Physician-Led Progress Check, and the “Brave Plate” Digital Sticker Chart for kids.

“Picky eating isn’t a behavior problem; it’s often a sensory developmental milestone that got stuck. I am just going to help them get unstuck.” — Dr. Akanksha Sharma