Food Pickiness
Overcome Unhealthy Food Habits
Overcoming food pickiness
Hypnotherapy for children with food pickiness is an alternative approach that uses relaxation techniques, guided imagery, and positive suggestions to help shift a child’s mindset around food. It can be particularly useful for children who have strong aversions to certain food textures, smells, or flavours, or who experience anxiety around eating new foods.
Hypnotherapy for Kids
Techniques for building comfort and confidence with food
A hypnotherapist helps the child enter a deeply relaxed state, where their subconscious mind is more receptive to positive change.
The therapist introduces new, positive thoughts about food, helping the child feel more comfortable with trying different textures and flavors.
The child may be guided through visualisations where they enjoy trying new foods, reducing fear or resistance.
Some cases of food aversion stem from sensory sensitivities, past negative experiences (like choking or illness), or control-related behaviours. Children’s hypnosis for food aversions can help uncover and reshape these responses.
Parents may be given affirmations or relaxation exercises to continue the progress at home.
Statistics and impact on health
Children aged 2–6 years are persistently picky eaters. (Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
Children have extreme picky eating that significantly impacts their growth and health. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry)
Picky eaters have a higher risk of iron and zinc deficiencies due to limited dietary variety
Parents report mealtime stress due to picky eating. (International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity)
Identify Pickiness
Common behaviors in picky eaters
Preference for bland or familiar foods (e.g., chicken nuggets, plain pasta)
Avoidance of certain textures (e.g., mushy foods like bananas, slimy foods like tomatoes)
Refusal to try new foods, sometimes leading to mealtime battles
Eating only a few specific foods (food jag) for extended periods
Extreme distress when presented with certain foods
