23 Practical Tips For Parents Of Picky Eaters

1. Shop wisely

This might be a surprise to some of us parents, but the truth is that we are the ones buying the food and putting it in the fridge and pantry. If there is junk food in the house, who put it there? Not your toddler. And if there’s no junk food in the house, well then, obviously our kids can’t have it, or argue for it, or sneak it. Fill your fridge and cupboards with real food. After the initial shock has worn off, your kids will begin to accept that what they see is what they get because that’s what’s available.

2. Reduce the snacks

Kids who snack too much throughout the day are often not hungry enough to eat dinner, let alone try new foods. When kids are bored, they often interpret that unpleasant feeling as hunger because in many ways, food is entertaining. Redirection to activities that aren’t about food can be healthier for kids and also help them work up a good appetite for dinner. Snacking (as well as refusing new foods) is a habit that can be broken.

When kids don’t snack, they are more likely to come to the dinner table with an appetite and a more adventurous spirit. When snacks are necessary, avoid or minimize fruit juices, because kids’ little stomachs can easily fill up on this glorified sugar water, leaving little room for food with more nutrients. If they’re genuinely hungry in between meals, they may just need to eat more during mealtime. Or, let snacks be whole fruits and veggies only.

3. Have a "one bite" rule

As regularly as possible, my wife and I try to introduce foods our kids haven’t tried before. The rule is that they have to try at least one bite of the new food. They might hate it, but sometimes, with consistency, that one bite turns into 10. There are few things sweeter to a parent’s ears than a young child saying “Hey, this is good!”

4. Rebrand the "yuck" foods

When a child doesn’t like the taste of a new food, don’t make a big deal about it or regularly say things like “Sophia doesn’t like broccoli.” Instead, meet that “yuck” face with indifference and a comment that puts that healthy food in a positive light, such as, “That’s okay. I guess your taste buds aren’t ready for that just yet. Maybe when you are a little older, you’ll realize how good it is.”

This suggests that liking broccoli is a goal, not an impossibility. I have patients who are in their 50s who still tell themselves they don’t like a food they tried 40 years ago and haven’t tried since. What a waste of an opportunity for dietary diversity!

5. Cook together

Involving your kids with simple little tasks, like mixing or measuring ingredients, can give them a sense of accomplishment and a desire to try their creation. It also educates them about preparing healthy foods and establishes that cooking at home (rather than take-out or drive-thru) is what’s normal.

6. Minimize the choices

The worst food-related question you can ask a toddler is, “What do you want to eat?” Instead, pick two or three options so they can assert their independence without feeling overwhelmed by too many options. “Do you want carrots or blueberries for your snack?” “Do you want green beans or a little salad with your chicken?” “Do you want a banana or some grapes for dessert?”

7. Accentuate the positive

Shift their perspective (and yours!) from what they can’t eat to all the many wonderful things they can eat.

8. Don't make dessert a food group

Desserts are great for special occasions and healthy desserts should be enjoyable, but there is no reason to have dessert at every meal, nor to make dinner a bribe to get sugar later. This sets up a dangerous health precedent when kids need a piece of cake or cookies after every meal. Dinner should be its own reward, but to help break the dessert habit, you could start by making a fun family activity the “reward.”

9. Don't ban everything

Many people lump foods into “good” and “bad” categories and feel that they should never, ever eat the “bad” foods, but kids are resilient and tend to have healthy active bodies that can handle the occasional less-than-perfect treat. As long as they eat healthy food most of the time, there is no reason to be so rigid that it restricts life and social activity. Besides, studies have shown (1) that children who are excessively restricted with foods are more likely to overeat when they’re alone.

10. Get active in your local food community

Taking your little one to a local, sustainable farm or farmers’ market lets them see the place their food comes from, and many of these places have fun activities to get kids interested in whole food. We’re often so removed from the source of the food we eat that providing a memorable experience will educate and enlighten their inquisitive minds, not to mention give them a chance to help choose new foods and come away with a positive impression of whole food that comes from the earth rather than the store.

11. Don't be confusing about nutrition

Keep food benefit conversations at the level of the child. No need for a lecture on omega-3 fatty acids or blood sugar stability (although, I do get tempted…) Instead, talk in simple terms about what foods do for kids, like “Avocados make your brain work better so you can be really smart,” or “This fish will help make your muscles strong!” Also, have age-appropriate but honest conversations about what junk food does to the body, like “Did you know sugar will make you tired and might make you get sick more often?” or “French fries can clog up your heart so you can’t run as fast.”

12. Make whole-food smoothies

Kid-friendly smoothies are a great way to get a lot of nutrient-dense foods into your growing children. Blend foods like coconut milk and coconut oil, avocados, probiotics (empty a capsule or use kefir), and leafy greens with some frozen berries and cacao powder and you’ll have a yummy, ice-cream-like drink that will actually nourish your kids.

13. Use grain-free alternatives

Nobody needs gluten, and kids can be sensitive to it, so try using gluten- and grain-free alternatives like almond and coconut flours for anything you would cover in breading (like chicken nuggets), or bake (like muffins or cookies). You might notice a positive difference in your child after removing gluten.

14. Sneak in the good stuff

To get a wider variety of vegetables in your children’s diet, try mashing cauliflower instead of potatoes, baking spaghetti squash instead of noodles, and if you eat meat, hiding nutrient-dense grass-fed liver in the sauce or the meatloaf.

15. Get creative

Food can be fun….and even silly! Try arranging vegetables in the shape of a goofy face or making cars, boats, or animals out of cut-up fruit. This can be a simple way to charm your child into eating healthy foods.