Picky Eater Tricks

Last night at a fabulous neighborhood patio concert, I was talking with another mama who mentioned she had tried our recipes and liked them, but now, if only her little one would eat them. I had to chuckle with understanding. How many of us have tried a new recipe, only to see our little ones reject it before even eating it, or catapult it out of the mouth, or say "nooooooo"?

Below are some general tips. If you want more picky toddler tips, read this awesome article by Dr. Sears.

1. Expose your child to wholesome foods as early as you can. If that means 6 months, or the everything-in-mouth 9 months, or toddlerhood, you may get different reactions, but don't avoid nutritious foods simply because you don't think your kid will like them. And don't beat yourself up if you didn't expose to certain foods early on- just start eating these foods together. You may need several repetitions to get there, but you may be surprised at what becomes a favorite.

2. Make foods that you'll happily eat; model your own love of those foods. Especially when your kid rejects them, simply say, "OK, looks like you don't want ____ today, but that leaves more for me! Yum!" (Sounds cheesy, but it may work). This was one reason I started making homemade rather than jarred; I could happily eat leftover avocado or steamed sweet potatoes, but jarred food was another story.

3. Eat well yourself. Your child will want what's on your plate. The grass is always greener.

4. Keep an upbeat attitude- never force feed. You can't control what goes in, so it isn't worth the battle, and you don't want meal time to become stressful. No fun for anyone. Just end meal time if your little foodie won't eat. And don't give an alternative. You don't want to turn into a short-order cook. :)

5. Don't give up after the first try. Bring out the food again, especially when your little one is ravenous. He or she may gobble it up. I sometimes put new foods alongside old favorites, and just the fact that they're on the plate gets a few bites into Ava's mouth.

6. Find your child's favorite consistency or type of food and convert or hide nutritious foods inside. For instance, does he love yogurt? Pop some frozen fruit into a smoothie. Does she gobble crispy foods? Make sweet potato chips or roasted chickpeas. He loves dipping? Pull out some dip along with those yummy veggies or chicken nuggets.


6. Catch others being good. Point out what kids have on their plates when you visit restaurants.

7. If it isn't in the house, it won't be an option. Kids do get hungry, and when they do, have nutritious options on hand.

8. Toddlers are grazers. Give them goods to graze on. Put a tray or plate of a bunch of healthy items out during play time. He or she will walk by and pick up things, and enjoy the choice involved.

8. Try to keep in mind that picky toddlers are NORMAL- it's part of their development, understanding of the world, and a necessary biological instinct to keep the yucky stuff out. Eating is a learning experience, and learning takes time, observation of all five senses, and repetition.

Now, if only it weren't so patience trying for parents....