Picky Eater Tips and Tricks

Okay, step away from the cookie.

The holidays are over and this means bringing your whole family back to healthier eating habits.

Yes, even your picky toddler. Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters who often choose 1-2 foods for weeks at a time. Offering a variety of healthy choices empowers your tot to choose a more nutritious route. Remember toddlers are grazers so respect their tiny tummies.

Here are a few ways to tantalize your picky tot:

1. Keep small containers of all sorts of mixed goodies including chopped veggies and fruit at eye level in the fridge.
2. Allowing him to dip his bite-sized broccoli into a less than healthy dipping sauce might also encourage bold tasting behavior.
Caramel, jelly, cheeses and dressing may do the trick.
3. Be patient. It will take some time before your child gets used to the variety of flavors and textures that different foods provide.
4. Introduce new foods in between a bite of old favorites.
5. A bite of a high texture food such as peas may go down easier with a teaspoon of vanilla yogurt before and after.
6. Pay attention to how your tot responds to different textures, some kids show a preference for smooth, chewy or crunchy textures.
7. Be flexible and stay patient your child’s journey into the realm of new foods can be exhilarating.

While our New Years resolutions often revolve around diet and exercise,
modeling healthy habits throughout the year will help your picky toddler grow.