Thanks for the picture. The table is set, the turkey is almost ready to come out of the oven, the sweet potato casserole is bubbling in its pan, and you’re crossing your fingers that everyone will be happy and well fed. But when your Cooking food Takes one look at the food and says, “No, thank you,” and it’s hard not to feel disappointed.

Emotions are often at an all-time high during the holidays, and a picky eater can make things even more stressful. As a caregiver, you want your child to try new things, but you also don’t want them to feel ashamed of their taste. So how can you handle the holidays without fail? We talked to the experts to help you navigate thank you With a picky eater.

Understanding Picky Eaters

Picky eating often starts early. Food can be a wonderful cornucopia of tastes, textures and smells, but when your baby gets bored, he puts his foot down.

Davis Peninsula, MD, FAAP, Board-certified pediatricians at Elliston Pediatrics say there are many reasons for eating pee. From the stage of development GeneticsOral motor impairment or Sensory sensitivityGood food can make it difficult for kids to enjoy Thanksgiving.

“Some kids don’t like certain smells or textures because some kids are picky eaters,” Dr. Davis explains. “Or they may be nervous about trying something new.”

A picky eater can definitely feel the pressure to try new things, agreed Jennifer House, MSc, RD, Pediatric dietitian and founder of First Step Nutrition. “If parents try to control how much their child eats through pressure or restriction, battles often ensue,” she adds.

How to engage your picky eater ahead of time

Parents know that kids often test the limits—they want to say it! Thanksgiving can be a good time to give them some control, Dr. Davis says. Here are some tips.

Think small

To encourage children to try new foods, start small. “Offer a few pieces of something new at a time,” Dr. Davis suggests. “And don’t be afraid to later reintroduce foods your child doesn’t like at first. Studies show that it can take up to 15 times longer for someone to learn whether they like a particular flavor or not.”

Involve your child

Let your picky eater play with their food in a variety of ways. Allowing children to help prepare the Thanksgiving meal gives them a sense of ownership, making them more likely to try new things.

“Cooking with your child It exposes them to foods they might otherwise overlook at mealtime,” says House. “Like messy play, cooking gives your child more exposure, and they may be willing to touch these ingredients that they wouldn’t normally at the table.”

Can help engage your kids during the holidays Create new traditions— and may have additional benefits, such as helping picky eaters try new things.

Mealtime Strategies Thanks to Your Picky Eater

It’s important to do There are strategies And set expectations around the holidays, especially for families with picky eaters. Here are expert-approved tips to minimize battles at the dinner table.

Include safe foods

“Safe” foods Your baby will always eat, no matter the situation. Having a safe option takes the pressure off—and you know your child will eat at least one thing at the table. This frees up parents to enjoy the holidays without stress.

Consider using dips

Maybe your child wants to try something new, but cutting out a whole new food is too scary for them. Instead, let them dip plain bread into new foods like cranberry sauce or gravy, Dr. Davis says. It allows children to try new things the tasteWithout forcing them to struggle with the new texture.

Serve family style

Family style allows kids to take ownership of what they put on their plate, House says. Enjoying meals family style ensures that children are “exposed to all the other foods that are passed around the table,” even if they don’t eat them. Hey, there’s always next year!

Advocate for your child

If family members are unnecessarily critical of what your child does or doesn’t eat, make sure to take a stand for your child. Redirect the conversation, suggests House. The point of celebrating Thanksgiving is not to indulge your child, but to be together as a family.

Don’t bribe – sympathize

Bribing picky eaters with sweets is a common strategy parents use to get them to the end of the meal. The problem with bribery is that it puts dessert on a pedestal, House points out. Neutralize food and choose empathy instead.

“It’s best to neutralize foods and treat everyone equally, so some foods aren’t ‘forbidden’ and therefore more tempting,” she adds. Take the pressure off by saying something like, “We’ll eat dessert when it’s time.”

Focus on what really matters

Finally, Thanksgiving is a day on the calendar—and for your picky eater, it can be a day full of new pressures and difficult challenges.

“The more we push a child to eat, the less they like the foods we’re pushing, the less they eat, and the fatter they become,” House says. “Even so it backfires.”

Instead, try and focus on what’s important: The person you choose to eat is part of your family, and Thanksgiving is a time when family comes together. In the short term, it’s okay for children to skip meals or eat only what they want, Dr. Davis explains. It’s unlikely to do any long-term harm, and dialing back the worry about whether your picky eater is eating or not is good for everyone.