# Hochsensible Kinder Hsk Und Essen **Source:** https://loesungs-coaching.de/en-us/hochsensible-kinder-hsk-und-essen **Language:** English (United States) --- Skip to Content # Highly sensitive children HSC and eating ## Often a highly sensitive topic **Don't feel like reading? Here you can watch the post as a video.** *Children are picky, the food is ready!* For most highly sensitive children, or rather their parents, eating is a challenge. The children are very picky about what they like, and this can even become a stressful topic in everyday family life. In this post, you will learn how the eating behavior of many highly sensitive children manifests itself and what effects this can have on everyday life. You will get tips on how to de-stress mealtime and how to strengthen your child's self-esteem and self-confidence in passing. ## Eating with highly sensitive children means eating with fine senses The brains of highly sensitive people react to very fine stimuli. HSP, which stands for highly sensitive children, need much lower nerve impulses than average sensitive children. For them, food is quickly salty, quickly spicy, quickly stale… because their brains react to even smaller amounts of substances. ## Practical example with my highly sensitive child When my daughter was 4, we had a sausage, it was too spicy for her. I myself like spicy food and I couldn't empathize with her judgment at all. I was totally sure that it couldn't be spicy, as I always thought I had a very fine sense of taste myself until then. After some discussion, she ate something else. When I put the sausage away, I looked at the ingredients and it said? Chili – I guess I had found my match. ## Truth is a matter of perspective Unfortunately, we humans tend to generalize our perception for others. Back then, I learned to take my daughter's judgments seriously. Despite all my professional knowledge, I still catch myself from time to time setting my perception as "the ultimate truth." Every time I succeed in not doing that, it is a plus for strengthening my daughter's self-confidence. ## Highly sensitive children are gourmet tasters Highly sensitive children taste the finest nuances of spicy, salty, sweet, and bitter. Preferences and aversions seem to vary here. Although highly sensitive children, also known as HSC, taste all of these flavors, there is often one nuance to which they react particularly strongly. ## HSC are flavor specialists A seminar participant told me that her daughter didn't like sweet things. At first you think that's fantastic, arguments about too many sweets. In everyday life, that's often not so easy at all; sugar is added to so many foods, and she immediately tasted that and didn't like it. But she didn't like sweet fruit either, and they had a hard time finding a children's toothpaste that wasn't sweetened. Medicine was also often too sweet for her, so that she immediately gagged on it. ## Unpopular foods are frequently not tolerated But here too, it becomes clear just how good highly sensitive children are at perception. My daughter ate everything until kindergarten age, except for dairy products. At some point she also stopped wanting to eat tomatoes, which she normally liked very much. When she developed a rash, we had her tested for food intolerances by a kinesiologist. It turned out she was allergic to milk protein and fruit acid. The doctor described a phenomenon to me where many children dislike certain foods because they intuitively know they cannot tolerate them. ## If we let them, HSC are very intuitive eaters A female customer told me that she repeatedly persuaded her child to eat fruit only after huge struggles. She was worried that it wasn't getting enough vitamins. The child constantly had stomach aches, resulting in several absences from school. Furthermore, it was always sluggish and unable to concentrate. Eventually, it also developed neurodermatitis. I shared my experiences with her and recommended having the child tested. It turned out that it was allergic to fructose. I find it impressive time and again how precisely our bodies actually know what is good for us. It might make sense to listen even more closely and sometimes take advice 😉 ## When old experiences hold you back ![20200529 144248 scaled | High Sensitivity and Trauma – Coaching, Seminars, Training |](https://www.loesungs-coaching.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200529_144248-scaled.jpg) Our dermatologist said that children with this crease on their eyes are more prone to allergies. You can see it here on my daughter's eye. Some highly sensitive children love it when the food on their plate is separated. It can lead to drama if a pea wanders off and rolls over to the mashed potatoes. For the child, this is a major offense by the pea because the taste is longer pure. This might sound funny now, but it can be really exhausting for the parents and even more so for the child. They do not like much anyway, and if what little there is gets contaminated, it is really tough for the child. And if someone adds a "stop making such a fuss," the mood hits rock bottom. ## Highly sensitive children need creative cooks On the other hand, it can happen that some foods, when mixed in such a way that a new flavor is created, suddenly end up being eaten with pleasure. For example, spinach mixed into pancakes. Of course, not too much of it. My daughter loves potato soup. As soup greens, I use a lot of the vegetables she otherwise doesn't eat. I purée them, and then I use that vegetable mash as the base for the soup. Works great. ## Highly sensitive children are texture eaters And then there is another important factor that determines whether highly sensitive children will like their food: the texture. Bread crust is unpleasant for many HSCs to eat and is a frequent point of discussion. But honestly, is it really worse not to eat the crust than to constantly suggest to the child that they are wrong and should eat differently than they like? You can find out what effects constant criticism can have on a child's psyche in the article: How highly sensitive children become mentally ill adults . I would like to recommend this to you as a basis for dealing with the highly sensitive child. But you can also make use of a preference for textures. My daughter was four when she said, "I don't like the carrots, they weren't frozen at all." Following that, I experimented with different preparation methods. She only likes some vegetables raw, others only canned, and others again only when they are frozen or cooked. The decisive factor for whether it tastes good is the feeling in her mouth. Highly sensitive children are often texture eaters. ![Highly sensitive children HSC and eating | High Sensitivity and Trauma – Coaching, Seminars, Training |](https://www.loesungs-coaching.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Hochsensible-Kinder-HSK-und-essen.png) ## When you have a highly sensitive child, preparing meals can become difficult I am aware of four approaches for how parents manage lunchtime with their highly sensitive child. 1. Some simply cook two (or more) dishes. I am usually too lazy for that. 2. The second option usually involves cooking what everyone likes. That is my way, but it limits the selection for everyone. I used to be able to cook very well, let's see what is left of that when my daughter moves out. 3. You eat what's put on the table. Some children are really forced to eat their food, or they get nothing. If they're lucky, they're at least allowed to make themselves a sandwich. Many parents probably remember this version from their own childhood. This approach is poison for the soul. If you do this once, it's okay, but as a permanent state, the child learns that their needs have value. They might even start to ignore their needs. If this happens too often, it can lead to adults who don't perceive or take their own needs seriously, with far-reaching consequences in various areas of life. I have clients who don't even know what they like because they haven't learned to develop their own taste. You can find more information on this in my post: High Sensitivity – Curse or Blessing for Highly Sensitive People . ## Some families hardly eat together anymore 4. Everyone eats what they want, then, when they want. This has some advantages, but also a very significant disadvantage. Eating together is an important component for strengthening relationship bonds. However, only if the cell phone stays off. There is the possibility of exchange and shared experience. These shared experiences are becoming increasingly rare in many families. In the past, people at least sat together in front of the TV. Nowadays, everyone sits alone in front of their tablet or cell phone. And then at some point, parents wonder why their children don't tell them anything. Often, the children simply haven't learned it or there are hardly any opportunities because everyone is doing their own thing. ## When eating turns into stress with a highly sensitive child This mealtime situation is often chosen even when there is recurring stress during eating. Naturally, the stress does not strengthen bonding either, unless it is resolved positively. But who is actually causing the problem? ## A change of perspective Suppose you are invited to your mother-in-law's house. There is something to eat that you absolutely dislike. Maybe Brussels sprouts or pigs' trotters or whatever you reject. You like potatoes and you just eat more of those. Do you have a problem then? Probably not yet. Now your mother-in-law starts pressuring you. She tries to persuade you, you can at least try it once, maybe she also appeals to your conscience because she went to so much trouble. She could also emphasize that your predecessor liked it very much, or she even gets annoyed or huffy and says offended, „I don't even have to cook!“. Well, does that sound like a relaxed meal to you? Could you develop a desire to try something new in this atmosphere? Do you feel accepted and welcome just as you are? ## When eating becomes a battlefield Some highly sensitive children find themselves in such a situation. Their eating habits are constantly criticized, and mealtime is a minefield. Accordingly, they arrive at the table feeling tense or demotivated. Sometimes they are even punished on top of that. ## A plea for the parents I believe that parents act this way because perhaps they never experienced anything else themselves and truly view this behavior as a well-intentioned form of parenting. Perhaps these situations also arise out of concern that their child is not getting enough nutrients, or they are overwhelmed and emotionally distressed themselves, and therefore unable to respond to their child with affection. If they had better alternatives, they would certainly use them. ## Taking extra rounds relieves the pressure of one's own parenting standards Especially when I'm stressed, I tend to react with annoyance rather than understanding when my daughter doesn't like something. And every time I manage to lovingly perceive and accept her in her needs, I can register a plus point for my daughter's self-confidence, self-worth, and self-perception. Knowing that I am only human and that this cannot always succeed, I am happy every time it works out. Allow yourself victory laps too, and be loving with your "quirks," just as your child needs you to be. ## Highly sensitive children are quickly disgusted Let's get back to the typical eating behavior of highly sensitive children. When my daughter tries something, she already makes a disgusted face from the start. Since our emotions always follow our facial expressions, even her favorite food would stand chance. ## The sensitive nose also eats Since highly sensitive children generally also have a very keen sense of smell, the smell could also be the reason why the child refuses to eat. And this doesn't even have to be their own food. If I eat something my daughter doesn't like the smell of, she can't get a single bite down. ## HSC can really challenge you Sometimes it can also happen that highly sensitive children suddenly refuse to eat what they actually used to love eating, just because they didn't like it once. Because she didn't like one variety of apple, she won't eat any apples at all in the future. Yet another food item off the list. It's enough to make you despair. ## How food can affect the daily life of the highly sensitive child For a while, my daughter didn't want to sleep over at friends' houses anymore because she was worried she wouldn't like the food there. Now she brings her own food. Some children also refuse to go to birthday parties or class trips for this reason. Eating out is also a challenge; she doesn't like the standard children's meals. She will then only eat potatoes or rice. In familiar restaurants, she also makes special requests. The waitstaff have always known her special dish, which she thinks is pretty cool. ## Generational experiences as a challenge Another sensitive point, which is also repeatedly addressed in my seminars, is often grandma and grandpa. Shaped by the war and post-war periods, food still has a very emotionally charged value for them. For them, not eating can be associated with the emotion of starvation. Usually not consciously. Nevertheless, they are deeply worried and consequently act very forcefully at times. This can also heavily reflect one's own conflicts with the parents, making it difficult to support one's own child because setting boundaries is hard. ## A "healthy" sign when children set boundaries However, it can also happen that children longer want to visit their beloved grandma because she repeatedly tries to persuade the child to try things. This shows that the child has already developed a lot of ego-strength because the child refuses to be treated that way. Good protection so that they do not end up with a narcissist later in life. However, the child will probably still need support during the clarifying conversation with grandma, otherwise there is a high risk that it will remain at "I only mean well". ## I like to ask myself the question: "Is it worth the conflict?" The good news is that I haven't heard of a single child who suffered actual physical damage from their eating behavior. To be on the safe side, we have our daughter's blood levels tested annually. A friend from my elementary school lived exclusively, and I mean really exclusively, on jam toast for many years. She didn't even eat sweets. Today she has a family of her own and is healthy. Our bodies can handle quite a lot. That is why it is worth considering whether the stress we put ourselves—and therefore naturally also our child—through regarding food is really worth it. ## A glimmer of hope 😉 I have heard from several mothers that the food spectrum broadens with puberty. A trend that is also becoming apparent with my 11-year-old daughter. Nevertheless, I know many adult, highly sensitive people who maintain their selective taste. And for all worried parents and above all grandparents: they are all still alive and well. You want to understand and support your highly sensitive child even better? That is exactly why I developed the Online Course Understanding the Highly Sensitive Child . ![E-Book Understanding High Sensitivity by Sandra Quedenbaum, preview on laptop, tablet and smartphone](https://www.loesungs-coaching.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Ohne-Titel-Karte-Querformat-900.webp "Hochsensibilität verstehen") To Registration Sign up for my newsletter. As a thank you, you will receive my e-book **or buy it for €9.99.** ## E-Book! **Understanding high sensitivity –** **For a self-determined life** How high sensitivity manifests and how it "originates". ## Here you will find further articles on high sensitivity - Basic Facts - The Highly Sensitive Brain - Highly sensitive individuals in overstimulation - High sensitivity and emotions - What Was Nature Thinking With This? - High sensitivity and adrenaline - Highly sensitive people and chronic stress - What your body does differently - Characteristics of high sensitivity - Current State of Science and Research - 10 strengths of high sensitivity - High sensitivity and evolution - Extroverted (Ambiverted) Highly Sensitive People - HSP Test – High Sensitivity Simply Explained - Should HSPs Come Out? - Highly sensitive children and comparisons - Test – How to recognize a highly sensitive child - Introverted HSPs - Extroverted HSPs - Trauma and High Sensitivity - How HSPs See - HSP and the Sense of Smell - The Highly Sensitive Hearing - How HSPs Think - Scanner Personalities - High Sensation Seeker - High Sensation Seeker or Extroverted HSP - Easier Overstimulation of the Nervous System - Highly Sensitive People and Emotions - Highly Sensitive People and Small Talk - Highly sensitive people and inner dialogues - How HSCs become mentally ill adults - Highly sensitive children and eating - How your highly sensitive child becomes self-confident Manage Consent To provide you with an optimal experience, we use technologies such as cookies to store and/or access device information. 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