The viral ‘fading’ technique for fussy eaters that this dietitian swears by

While the method is dietitian approved, the thousands of comments are divided about whether it actually works.

The daily chore of feeding your kids is hard enough for most parents and carers, but throw in a picky and stubborn toddler who will only eat a couple of healthy foods, and it can be a proper nightmare.

In a viral TikTok clip viewed over 23 million times, registered dietician and mum of two girls Veronica La Marca, suggests a great technique for your fussy eater: fading.

“If your child loves pasta or noodles, but doesn’t like sauce, here’s a tip for you,” Veronica, who goes by the name ‘feeding picky eaters’, says in the 15 second clip.

“Take the teeniest amount of sauce and mix it throughout.”  

“This is a process called ‘fading’ where you slowly add more and more as your child accepts it.”

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Image: TikTok @feedingpickykids

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"The teeniest amount"

In the short video showing just a small dish of spiral pasta in a white bowl, Veronica uses a metal spoon to stir in a tiny amount of tomato sauce, so that they still look basically plain to a fussy toddler. 

But by gradually ‘fading’ in small amounts like she demonstrates here, it enables parents to hide a few vegetables in with the plain carbohydrate. If they can go slowly and sneakily enough to get the suspicious child to still eat their bowl of pasta.

With over 10,000 comments on the TikTok, it is no surprise that not everyone agrees with Veronica’s hack.

“Or just give them plain pasta?,” one says, reflecting the sentiment of many.

“No, mine [kids] would notice immediately and then refuse to eat the pasta ever again,” says another, commenting on the issue of breaking trust with their kids.

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"It doesn't always work"

“As a picky eater I can tell you that this definitely doesn't always work,” explains one adult fussy eater.

“I got anxiety from people putting things in my food that I didn't like.”

But many others seem to think it’s a good way to start introducing new flavours for their kids.

“Stuff like this is VERY NEEDED,” one user commented.

“And If you’re HIDING IT that’s wrong, when you fade in food you don’t lie about if it’s in it.”

Others share their versions of using the ‘fading’ hack to train their kids.

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"It built up my spice tolerance"

“This worked to build up my spice tolerance as a kid,” one writes. 

A number of other parents and former fussy eaters offer a different ‘fading’ technique, which is to offer some sauce on the side. 

“My mum put the sauce in a separate dish so I could dip pasta until I got used to it and put it in top of the pasta,” says one.

Another adds: “Alternatively put the sauce on a plate for them to dip in - that way they can decide if they want to try it or not.”

Many of those commenting refer to the issue of trying to feed extremely fussy kids with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), which can lead to poor growth and poor nutrition due to limited intake and variety. 

“As someone who has been struggling with ARFID my entire life, thank you, your videos are helping me so much.”

Originally published as The viral ‘fading’ technique for fussy eaters that this dietitian swears by