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/
Crystal says
Today I ate a rainbow
Rachel Durik says
We love making smoothies and juicing for the kids.
Allison says
Like copy kids
Like rainbow
Adrienne Parsons says
Liked Copy-Kids on Facebook!
Erin says
Like Rainbow
Janice says
like Copy-Kids
rachel says
like rainbow
Lindsey Ledbetter says
My picky eater frustration is that even just the look of a certain food will make my 2 year old not want to eat certain things. She will cover her mouth and tell me "I don't like it." Also when one of my daughters(I have 3) says they don't like something it makes the other one not want to try it as well. A tip that I have found that works is at least making them try just one bite. That worked for my oldest. She would just look at something and say she didn't like it but when I actually made her try just one bite she would end up liking it :)
Adrienne Parsons says
I really dislike that it's normal for our society to think that fruit snacks and graham crackers and the like are "healthy" snacks. I also really dislike that my 4.5 year old thinks that it's healthy to eat all that junk too!
Kara Moore says
I let my 3 year old choose which vegetable we eat for dinner.
Janice says
I find a food my picky eater will like (such as salsa) and try to incorporate it into other foods that he isn't so crazy about.
stephanie says
Like copy-kids
Amy says
Good tips. I think the graphic would really appeal to kids.
carla ramos says
My 6 year old loves when I cut her fruit and some vegetables into shapes with cookie cutter! Today I sent her with cucumber hearts for snack at school!
Katy C says
My son used to be pretty picky, but by being persistent over time, and getting rid of the junk, he only had one option and that was good healthy food, we still have many strides to make, but at least he likes tomatoes, black beans, blueberries, watermelon, bananas, apples, oranges, green beans (without anything on them!) chicken, and so much more!
Erin says
Like Copy Kids
Jenny says
like Copy-cats.
Clarissa says
My 22 month old seems to be hitting a picky stage lately... I find that I can usually talk him into eating a few vegetables if he gets to pick them off of my plate (rather than eat them off his own.) Don't know why it works, but I'm not complaining!
Jen dukes says
Like today i ate a rainbow
Stacy Pearson says
like Rainbow
rachel says
like copy-kids
Rebecca says
These are great tips! I'm a new step-mom to four young boys, I love to cook from scratch, and it's been an adjustment for me to modify my meals to accommodate the variety of tastes and preferences around our table. It's slow going at times, but I'm not giving up :-)
Brenda says
Trying to get my 2 year old to eat is getting trickier. So we started making smoothies which is lots of fun.
Chrissy reeder says
Like copy kids, like today I ate a rainbow.
Allison says
My children ages 2 and 4 are great real food eaters. They enjoy making fruit smoothies using almond milk, shopping at our local farmers market and farm for produce in season and meats. I am their role model to real food eating.
Alicia says
Like Today I ate a Rainbow!
We totally can handle that one. Can I substitute juice for the veggies?
Holly Shields says
"like rainbow"
Stacy Pearson says
like Copy-Kids
Sara says
Be an example and eat what you would like your kids to eat. Start as early as possible, offer real, homemade, healthy foods to your infants/young toddlers.
Like rainbow
Like copy-kids
Cassondra says
Like copy-kids
Jen dukes says
Like Copy kids
rachel says
My almost two-year-old does SO much better when we sit down together to eat, and she has what I am eating. We've discovered she likes spicy foods and unique tastes only by offering her what we're eating, and things always go worse on the pickiness front when I ask her "what do you want?".
Holly Shields says
"like copy-kids"
Annie Zeller says
like "Today I ate a Rainbow"
Courtney says
Liked Copy Cat kids
Elane says
My little ones do not eat anything green. Hence, the green smoothie I make everyday for the others is not tolerated by the little one. It is even full of, green grapes, pears, kiwi, but....it is GREEN
Megan says
Fan of Copy Kids
Holly Shields says
I have a super picky 4 year old who refuses to try new foods. The one-bite rule does not work because he actually has real anxiety about new foods. I think texture is a big issue for him too.
Stacy Pearson says
I have two kids and both have become picky. I have learned that you cannot force them to eat anything but you can encourage them to try new things (and even things they used to like and no longer do). I also spoke with my oldest alone to say that even though she doesn't like a food I put on her plate, she should quietly not finish it so her younger brother doesn't mimic her dislike. They both are picky differently so that did help.
Courtney says
liked today I ate a rainbow