7 Expert Tips On Managing Your Picky Little Eaters

The first solid food we introduced to our baby boy was avocado. His face lit up with joy as his little gums mushed it up, and he kept motioning for more. "Yes, he likes it! Score!" we thought. We were so happy he enjoyed the healthy fruit and thought it was a sign that he would continue to eat well, just like his mama and dada. My mother told me that I ate salad for breakfast as a child because I loved it so much, which sounds a little extreme (and gassy) to me.

But our kid's eating habits changed once he started having opinions. Now at 3 years old, all he wants to eat are cookies when he wakes up. Keep in mind this is around 6:30 a.m., when I can barely keep my eyes open and haven't had my coffee (or salad) yet. He cries so loudly that I give in, telling myself that the milk and eggs that go into cookies aren't really so different from an omelette.

He also requests pizza for lunch a few times a week. But I did recently read a headline saying that pizza is more nutritious than breakfast cereal, so I don't feel as bad. Plus, the cauliflower pizza crust pizza from Trader Joe's is his favorite.

And at least my son eats some fruits and veggies, so I don’t have it as bad as some other parents. I watched this funny YouTube video where some children are distraught and horrified when a vegetable even touched their lips!

Last night, I met Meg Munits, a mom of three boys who is also a nutritionist. Even she admitted that her kids were terrible eaters, and she hasn’t had much luck changing their ways. Her go-to tricks are pureeing vegetables into their tomato sauce when they eat spaghetti and making these brownies made with black beans.

Tirusha Dave, an early education expert who counsels parents of picky eaters, says, "Being a picky eater is a typical behavior that most children ages 2 through 5 display. This is their way of growing up and part of the process of being 'independent.'"

Luckily though, Dave has a few tips and techniques for parents to try on their picky eaters:

Get Them Shopping

Make the child part of the shopping experience. While in the grocery store, it’s not a bad idea to ask what he or she wants to eat. If they pick out carrots, pears and oranges from the store themselves, they may have more of an interest in eating that, over the green beans and peaches they’re given.

Make Dinner Together

Have your kids be a part of the dinner-making process. By doing this, not only is the child engaging in a new activity within the home environment, but the child gets to see first-hand what is being made and how. They can learn about the different vegetables or meats being cooked, and so much more.

Give Them Choices

Instead of telling your child, “You’re eating apples for snack,” try asking them, “Would you like grapes or apples for snack?” This way, the parent is making an overall choice of what the child will eat, but the child still feels like they are “independent” because they get to choose one of the options.

Practice What You Preach

Don't expect your child to eat healthy if you're not. Parents want their child to eat healthy, but if the child's meal is different than the parents' meal, the child will be less inclined to eat it. Serve the same items onto your plate, too.

Praise it Up

Encouraging your child goes a long way. Whenever they try something new, even if it’s a tiny bite, congratulate them on this! This will be the best motivation for them.

Unplug When Eating

Treat meal-time like it is all about the meal and the family. Put down the phones. Turn off the TV. Leave all electronic devices away from the meal-area. Breakfast, lunch and dinner should be about talking with one another, having fun and enjoying what’s in front of you!

Stay Patient

The most important thing to remember is that these things take time. Nobody is going to like something new right away. But parents need to be patient, and they need to be positive. Keep trying to introduce your child to vegetables and fruits, and don’t get upset at your child if they won’t eat asparagus for the first time. Remember, you may not have liked it as a child too!

Whether our picky eaters don’t like certain foods because they are asserting their independence or they just don't like the way it tastes, we will never know. What we do know is that our little ones are growing too fast no matter what goes in their mouth, and their tastes will eventually change. And who knows? If you stay positive and open, one day they might wake up and ask for salad for breakfast, instead of those cookies.