Winning over your picky eater is no new topic on this blog, but it's something that many parents continue to struggle with day after day. So this is why I am super excited to share some new healthy eating tips with you straight from two experts in the field (and both sponsors of our blog)! Cai Dixon, co-creator of the Copy-Kids, and Kia Robertson, creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit, have both created award-winning yet simple resources that get kids interested in—and eating!—their fruits and veggies. Both Cai and Kia are fellow moms who feel passionate about helping other parents overcome the typical struggles they face when trying to get their children to eat a varied diet.
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First Off, Set the Tone:
- Be Flexible
What does flexibility look like? It will vary from household to household. Here is what flexibility looks like in my home:
My 5-year-old took a bath first thing when she woke up today. I figured out a few years ago that coupling happy bath-time play with a meal was an excellent way to get her to eat more. First she started with a banana. Then she asked for a second banana. Then I set a divided plate on a low stool next to the tub. The plate contained red cabbage, cauliflower, celery & a cherry tomato – each in its own compartment, because she doesn’t like things to touch. And she ate them all. Yep, veggies for breakfast!
- - Be Creative
Sometimes a story prompt from you is all that is needed to get your child to eat. “Bunnies love carrots. There once was a bunny who ate 100 carrots in one meal. Could you eat 100 carrots?”
Creativity could include arranging a story scene on a plate. A sun, a house, a happy-face designed from the pieces of the meal. You can employ child-friendly dishes & utensils. Candles on a table at mealtimes can make the meal more appealing & pleasant. Lighten things up… move away from familiar norms of “sit-up-straight, eat-your-food, stop-wiggling, no-talking, chew-with-your-mouth-closed.” I’m not suggesting that you abandon good manners. Merely that you make creative efforts to bring joy to the table with optimal nutrition consumption always as the prime goal.
- - Go Easy on Yourself
Give yourself a pat on the back because no matter where you are in this feeding journey you have been doing the best you can with what you know. This parenting gig doesn’t come with a manual - it’s a “learn as you go” job so go easy on yourself!
- - Stop Comparing
Try not to compare yourself to other parents and how they are feeding their kids. Each child is unique and there isn’t one best or right way that works for everyone. It can feel disheartening to think that other parents have got it all figured out and you’re still struggling no matter how hard you try. Just keep learning new recipes, techniques and ideas that you can implement in ways that best fit your family.
- - Be Calm
Before you feed your kids just give yourself a moment to take a deep breath and put a smile on your face. Even if you know the meal might be met with resistance, approach each mealtime as a fresh start. Have confidence that you are providing your kids with a good meal and how much of it they eat and enjoy is up to them. If they reject your new spinach dish it’s not a reflection of your parenting skills or how much they love you.
Try These Suggestions:
- Serving New Food
Trying a new food can be very intimidating for a picky eater. I know it can be hard to understand if you’ve never been a picky eater…what’s the big deal about trying something new, right?! Well it is a very big deal for many different reasons. So when serving something new put the tiniest sample on their plate. When I say tiny I mean microscopic…as in bring a magnifying glass to the table! A teeny shred of lettuce, one grain of wild rice, half a blueberry…you get the picture. I know it sounds silly and actually that’s part of the strategy. Using humor and some fun is a great way to introduce something new. It will improve your chances at getting your picky eater to give it a try and that is half the battle when it comes to picky eating. I think Mary Poppins had the right idea when she said “In every job that must be done there is an element of fun! You find the fun and snap…the job's a game!” Kids love having fun so use that to your advantage and have a laugh together over a kernel of corn!
- - Texture Texture Texture
Did I mention texture? Texture issues are one of the biggest holdups for picky eaters, finding out what textures they like will be very useful information for you. Try serving your picky eater fruits and veggies in different forms and textures. Maybe they like crunchy, or perhaps smooth, some may prefer bumpy (like broccoli). You can achieve different textures by changing how you prepare them - try serving produce steamed, grilled, raw, baked, frozen, juiced, roasted, etc.
- - Keep Trying
I know how disheartening and frustrating it can be to keep serving food over and over again only to have it rejected and even worse, tossed on the floor! But here’s the thing, studies have found that it can take at least 10 exposures to a new food before it is accepted and that number gets a lot higher when dealing with a picky eater. So don’t give up too soon…you’re in the business of training taste buds and that takes a lot of patience and repetition. You can print off a free Today I Tried chart to help you and your kids keep track of how many times they are trying a new food. Once again turning this into something fun can help you successfully stay on track and get your kids on board.
- The contest is open to those with U.S. or Canadian shipping addresses only.
- You have THREE chances to enter the contest by leaving comments below:
- 1st entry: Please leave a comment below sharing your picky eater tip (or frustration!)
- 2nd entry: If you like Copy-Kids on Facebook you can leave another comment below. Just say “like Copy-Kids” on your entry/comment.
- 3rd entry: If you like
- The contest will end at midnight EST on Monday, February 11th.
- The winners will be selected at random and announced on the “100 Days of Real Food” Facebook page as well as emailed directly (so make sure your address is entered correctly in your comments below!). The winner will have 3 days to respond before they are disqualified, and a new winner is chosen.
Kia Robertson is a mom, children’s book author and the creator of the award winning Today I Ate A Rainbow kit that gets kids ASKING to eat their fruits and veggies by turning healthy eating into a fun game! As a former picky eater, Kia is passionate about helping parents overcome the typical struggles they face trying to get their children to eat their fruits and vegetables. Learn more at: https://www.todayiatearainbow.com/
Cai Dixon is a mom and co-creator of Copy-Kids. Copy-Kids makes video content encouraging positive habits in young children by encouraging them to copy other kids. Their debut release is a DVD entitled Copy-Kids Eat Fruits and Vegetables. In it you'll find children joyfully eating fruits and vegetables. Kids watching it want to join in. It’s that simple. And it’s effective. Find them at: http://copy-kids.com/
Shannon Richardson says
I liked Copy Kids on Facebook
Rebecca W says
I always show that I can eat something and it tastes yummy. If there is any hesitation, me showing them I like it will at least get them to try it. If they don't like it after that, I don't force them to eat it.
dettes says
Like Copy kids
Sue A. says
Still trying to get my boys to eat better! 10 & 8!
Laure Gougenheim Dejeant says
I have two picky eaters (a 2 year old daughter and a 3 year old son) and I have indeed noticed that they are more attracted to their dinner plate when I put various bright colors (e.g. A nice display can be cherry tomatoes, blueberries, yellow corn and green cabage).
Like Copy-Kids
Like Rainbow
Dana says
It's frustrating having a picky eater because I feel guilty for not giving him enough nutritious things to eat. We're working on it! like copy kids and like rainbow
Malia says
Like Today I Ate a Rainbow
Laura says
My son gags at the site of veggies and won't touch his plate if there is one on it...texture and mental...ideas, please!!!
Jennifer Gillespie says
I have no tips I can write but I can tell you my frustration. Let me see I cried yesterday over my picky eater. I cried today over my picky eater & I cried reading the tips. I am having a horrible time dealing with this & all the arguing & hostility it causing between my daughter & I. I did feel a little better when I read about the child not wanting her food to touch. She even wants a different fork for each food so they won't mix together that way. The healthiest thing she will eat is a banana & that's about it.
Like copy-kids
Like rainbow
Shannon Richardson says
My 7 year old daughter is great at eating healthy foods but my son who is 6 struggles with it. I keep trying new things and try not to get frustrated with him. When he does end up trying something new and then liking it - I do this silly little cheer and dance for the kids. They love it and I think my son has been trying more things just to get me to do the dance.
Lori says
Like Copy-Kids
Denise Davis says
like Rainbow
Jen Barga says
like copy-kids
Malia says
Like Copy Kids
Sarah says
Like copy kids and today I ate a rainbow! My little one is still young but I'm trying to establish healthy eating patterns now by introducing lots of new, healthy, whole foods to him all of the time! He eats anything we offer him without complaints!
Courtney says
like copy kids
Courtney says
My kids are 3yrs and 5yrs. I have tried many wholesome copy cat recipies for things that I know they like (hambergers, chicken nuggets) and they have turned their nose up at them. I praise them for trying the food and try not to show that I am upset that they don't like it. I have figured out that they prefer their veggies crunchy so I always make sure to have raw veggies on hand for their meals and snacks.
Michelle says
Like Copy-Kids
dettes says
When serving new foods, I have my 4 children rate them on a scale of
dettes says
oops...I have my children rate their food on a scale of 1 - 10. They are so excited to give their opinion that the food goes right into their mouth without thinking. Even if they do not like it, at least they tried it. Beats them claiming not to like it before trying it.
Jill says
Like Rainbow
Jen Barga says
My two oldest were extremely resistant when we began cutting out processed food. They love some aspects of my cooking, but hate trying "new" things. I make the "new" dishes that my husband and I enjoy once a week for a month just to expose them to it. Eventually, they eat it, and surprise, they almost always like it!
Mindy A says
I liked "Today I ate a Rainbow" on fb!
Jill says
Like Copy-Kids
Lori says
Play with food..... Kids love it and may even taste it!!
Malia says
I keep offering the same food if it's rejected. I also have these plates so we can "play" with the food too
http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-Food-Face-Boy/dp/B001YHQU7U
Shannon says
Like Today I Ate a RainboW!
Justyna says
I have an Aspie who has taste and feel issues. He doesn't like the textures of most foods and refuses anything red. No fruit either. I recently discovered that if I ask him what he wants - and let him plan and help prepare meals (not every day, he doesn't always want to do it) he's more likely to eat. I've also learned a ton from him about what he likes.
Erin Kindreich says
I encourage them to help prepare the food and continue to model good eating habits. I Like Copy Kids and I Like Today I ate a rainbow.
Kristin says
Like Rainbow
Mindy A says
My picky eater assumes he doesn't like a food before he tries it.
Tiffany says
I have found that just re-branding a food with a more appealing name works. My 2 year old will inhale beets just because we cut them in long strips and call them red french fries!
Jocelyn Bates says
like rainbow!
Jill says
I make sure that I always finish any fruits or vagetable that I serve to myself at meal time to make a good example!!
Esther says
The more we "clean" house of anything processed/refined the less picky the kids have become when eating REAL foods. I believe their taste buds automatically begin craving good foods once they are not addicted to junk :) Great blog, thanks so much!
Kristin says
Like Copy-Kids!
Shannon says
like Copy-Kids
Jocelyn Bates says
MY lil guy will not eat anything that is mixed with anything else ... everything has to be separate, no fruit in the cereal, though he loves both fruit and cereal ... No Rice and beans ... though he loves both rice and beans ... My own tip is that when I do make something in a combination, like a veggie soup ... I puree it for him, so he can't see that there's more than one vegetable going on ...
JHa says
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm excited to try them out this month!
Kristin says
My son is only 20 months, but he can be picky as well. I always try to have him help prepare the food I give him. When he feels like he is part of the process, he is more likely to eat it.
Kelly says
today i ate a rainbow