# Picky Eater Prevention

Published: 2015-10-20T12:18:57.103071-04:00
Canonical URL: https://www.getmealplans.com/blog/2015/10/20/picky-eater-prevention/

As you may know, my husband went to a military college.

What you may not know is that I worked at that same military college one summer, when the barracks housed a mix of boys and girls ages 10-15.

(If you’re wondering, Scott and I were ships passing in the night—we met years later).

Since I was a “camp counselor,” I had to report a week before the kids arrived for training, cutting all my hair off, getting my uniform, yada yada.

**Food at the mess hall was unappetizing to say the least.**

I furrowed my brow, contorted my face in all kinds of ways, sniffed a bite, and put it down.

“How are you eating THAT?” I asked the guys around me (fellow counselors who attended as cadets during the school year).

**A senior officer said to me, “You’ll get hungry, and you’ll eat.”**

A week later, I found myself saying the exact same thing to my campers as I ate my dinner and they (grossed out) asked ME how I could stomach it.

**It’s true though—you eventually get hungry enough, and you’ll eat.**

I lasted about three days on canned peaches and bread…

and by the END of camp?

I thought the food was “pretty good.” (I’d even favored a few of the dishes!)

(Scott confirmed he had the same experience at the start of every school year).

I was reminded of this experience when a friend shared an article, “Do Kids Need to Snack? What the French Know That We Don’t”

My favorite line?

**“Americans try to prevent hunger. The French cultivate it.”**

I always FEARED hunger.

If I was even the littlest bit hungry, I would worry and go look for a snack, choosing whatever was convenient or instant (aka not a good choice).

When I stopped snacking, I realized it’s OKAY to be hungry—it’s even beneficial.

**I enjoyed my meals more!**

Most importantly, I learned even if I AM hungry, I CAN wait.

“You’ll get hungry, and you’ll eat.”

It’s true that it takes a while for your tastes to change (and if you keep eating salt, sugar, oil, fat, processed blah blah, the cycle will restart…)

BUT

**Picky eaters need to be hungry.**

Cultivate that hunger—and you’ll enjoy your meal more that way too!

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