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/
Emily N. says
My picky eater tip is to allow them to try different toppings or seasonings to the food they don't want to eat. Adding cheese or something like Mrs. Dash can change the flavor to something they might like.
Jennifer Purvis says
when we have a new food the kids get to roll dice to see how many bites they have to try and I sneak veggies in muffins and pasta sauce, chili etc.
Cathy says
Like copy kids on fb
Cathy says
Like rainbow on fb
Cathy says
Well, I have a super picky eater and no good tips. My frustration is when we all sit at the table for an extra half hour waiting for him to try the one bite of something new. Even if its something he likes but is only cooked a different way, he won't try it.
Monica says
I had to stop thinking about dinner the way my mom did. Dinner does not have to be heavy meats, starches, and overcooked veg of the 60's and 70's. Last night our dinner was an assortment of crunchy raw fruits and veggies with a piece of leftover roasted chicken. My 5 yr old was happy as can be, and I didn't cook anything! Win-Win!
Heidi says
like Rainbow
Heidi says
like Copy-Kids
Heidi says
We set a timer and if they aren't done eating by the time it beeps then no reading before bed. Sounds like a weird punishment but it works...nourishing their bodies and minds!
crystal says
This could help me. I have one extremely picky eater but I dont force him to eat because I was (and am still) a picky eater and clean your plate didnt help me. I would love to learn anything that could help
Laura says
My #1 frustration is not being able to get our son to even TRY new foods (or old favorites that he, for whatever reason has decided he no longer likes).
Cyndi says
like rainbow
Adrienne Terrazas says
Thank you for the tips! I have 3 VERY picky eaters and we are switching to Real Food...talking about the chemicals in each food has helped my 10 year old be much more adventurous.
Cyndi says
like copy-kids
Cyndi says
I have told my 4 year old that the "green" food will help her grow big and strong. She is very interested in the day care director's kindergarten daughter and wants to grow big like her. Now she tells be that she wants to eat the "green stuff" so she can be strong like O. She doesn't always eat much of it, but any bit is better than no bit.
Sonita says
like rainbow
Sonita says
like copy kids
Sonita says
My tip-if your child is a picky eater, has texture issues, they may not be just picky, it may be an underlying condition, such as sensory processing disorder (SPD). IF there is an underlying cause, take your time working with your child to get them to explore new foods and textures. Your approach might need to be different if there is an issue such as SPD or your child is a super taster.
Krista says
I like copy-kids on facebook
Krista says
We are trying a reward chart for trying new things. After 10 new things my kids will get to pick a new toy.
Taylor says
I give both children (2 and 5) a very small serving of everything. They have to try everything before they can have another serving of what they like. For the 2 y/o, "try" usually means the tiniest little piece actually goes in the mouth and gets swallowed. For the 5 y/o "try" usually means 3-5 bites, depending on just how weird the food is and whether or not I can tell if it's a control/I-just-want-my-pasta issue or a really-not-loving the food issue.
I keep conversation fun and happy and I'm never "harsh" in my tone, but I am super matter-of-fact when they ask for seconds and I remind them they need to try everything first. We don't dwell on it ever, I state the rule and move the conversation on. It works for us! They know what to expect, it's not traumatic or dramatic, and they get a good balance of trying new and enjoying what they love already.
Colleen says
We have been trying new, healthier foods for some time now and our 5 year old is quite picky (unless it's pasta, she's not a huge fan of the meal!!!) However, she surprisingly likes veggies (broccoli, carrots, celery) and fruit, so I always make sure there is something everyone will eat at a meal. When introducing new foods, we do ask our girls to try it...we've found eventually they'll eat it. However, we do let our girls know that food is to sustain our bodies and not everything is going to be like a dessert (sometimes a new mindset can help alleviate responses like 'eewww' or 'what's THAT?')!! :)
Carrie T says
We have no problems with fruit, but veggies are a different matter. We just get the kids to keep trying them different ways and eventually they do like it. At first we don't force a full serving, just a bite. We also experiment on how they are served. My son doesn't like anything mushy like mashed potatoes, but will eat them roasted until they are crunchy. He won't eat cooked spinach, but likes it raw. steamed veggies are out since they tend to get soft - we lightly roast broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini - almost everything - with a little olive or coconut oil and sea salt in the oven and the kids actually eat it. We also only use fresh veggies and try to get them at the farmer's market as often as possible (they really do taste better because they are fresher and picked ripe). So my adviceis hang in there and keep trying!
Michelle says
Like Rainbow!!!!
Jess says
Like Copy-Kids
Cathy says
Like Copy-kids
Jess says
Like Rainbow
Carrie T says
Like Rainbow
Cathy says
like rainbow
Cathy says
Frustration: like it one day but not another
Jenn says
My picky eaters each different. One is all about texture just like his picky eater daddy. I've found success with frozen veggies and some raw. But my other one is I'm hoping going through a picky faze. She usually eats a large variety, but lately turns her nose up to almost everything she used to eat fine.
Carrie T says
Like Copy-kids
Sonia says
Allowing my kids to pick out new and interesting items in the produce section gets them extra excited about trying foods.
Jess says
My mom always added veggies and greens into everything she made... meatloaf, lasagna, etc. With all the flavor's together we never noticed.
Kelly says
I find that letting my child help prepare the meal will make him more likely to try the food.
Shelley Trainer says
like Rainbow
Shelley Trainer says
Like Copy-Kids
Shelley Trainer says
I am so blessed to have a 15 month old that will try and eat just about anything that we give her. She LOVES cheese on anything, so when I make my cheese sauce I add pureed carrots to it. It's a great way to sneak in an extra veggie for the whole family or beef up a comfort foor like mac & cheese.
Amy says
I like to hide veggies in sauces and soups. I steam and blend them up into the sauce or soup. They never know. I have also blended veggies into baked goods. Sneaky!!!
Amy Levitre says
Picky Eater Tip: Letting your child help pick out the vegetables to try out at the grocery store.