Help for Parents of Picky Eaters

Chocolate muffins, check. Cookies, check. Yogurt, check. A happy meal or pizza, sorry about your luck. Some kids are just picky eaters. Some refuse to eat the healthy stuff while others refuse to eat anything sugary. Some like weird things like bananas covered in jelly and shredded cheese (none that I know, but that did seem like a gross combo) and others are just weird and don’t like things like pizza or ice cream (that would be my child). It can be frustrating dealing with a picky eater, but here are a few tips that might prevent you from ripping your hair out over the dinner table.

Experiment

You have a family rule that you have to take a bath every night or that you have to use the bathroom in the potty (at least, I hope you have that rule) so why not create a rule that says your picky kids have to try at least one new food each week. You don’t have to force them to try anything specific, just let them pick the night or let them eat whatever you make the last night of the week. You might be surprised how many new foods your kids will learn to enjoy.

Let Them Help

Kids are pretty proud little people, so letting them help you in the kitchen might be a great way to get them to want to eat. If you let your little one mix the sauce, she might be so proud of the fact that she cooked it that she will devour it right before your eyes.

Be Sneaky

If you want your kids to learn to like something and they refuse to eat it, sneak it into their meal. For example, if you wish they’d try turkey but refuse, make a turkey one night and let them think it’s chicken. Once they eat it and love it, tell them the truth to help avoid the resounds, “Eeeewwwww! I hate turkey,” the next time you celebrate a holiday.