Feeding picky children can be frustrating. Getting food on the table that the whole family will eat is hard enough, but when you have a little one with a limited set of food preferences it can be especially challenging.

Forcing kids to eat can set up a battle of wills and as a parent you know you have to pick your battles. There are several things you can do to improve the odds without getting into a contest of wills.

Tip one: (Don’t laugh) Hungry kids will eat; when they aren’t hungry it is very easy to be picky. If you have a picky eater stop snacking for 2 hours before dinner so they come to the table hungry. The appetite is a good thing, it naturally cues us to stop eating when we are full and everything tastes better when we are hungry. I know several people that allow their children to have sugary cereal an hour before dinner. If you choose to allow snacking, think about only allowing foods you would serve at a meal like fruit, vegetables, whole grains or yogurt.


The Dreaded Vegetable

Tip two: First things first. If your kids are reluctant to eat vegetables, serve them first. When they’ve eaten them, or made a fair attempt, then serve the remaining courses. Praise them for eating their vegetables and especially for trying new ones.

Tip three: Fruit has many of the same vitamin, mineral and fiber benefits as vegetables and its higher sugar content makes it more appealing to kids. If they absolutely won’t eat vegetables, give them fruit and slowly introduce vegetables, starting with the easiest ones first. Then you can try things like carrot raison salad or apple coleslaw. From the familiar friendly fruit, branch into the vegetables. Apples or pears lightly sautéed in makes a nice side dish for pork and both go well on top of a salad.

Tip four: Crudités like carrots, broccoli and cauliflower raw, or lightly blanched, cut into small pieces and served with a little ranch dip is party food, baby! Raw vegetables or very lightly cooked vegetables have a sweeter flavor more appealing to kids.

Tip five: Cute! Arrange the food in cute patterns, make faces out of vegetables or create zigzag patterns with carrots or beans.

How much is enough?

Well that happy pyramid wants us to eat:
6 – 11 servings of grains
3 – 5 vegetables
2 – 4 fruits
2 – 3 dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese)
2 – 3 meat, poultry, beans
Fats and sugar sparingly


Seems like a lot doesn’t it? How much is a serving?

Breads and Grains:
Toddlers:
1/4 slice of bread
1/4 C of rice or cereal (hot or cold)

Preschoolers:
1/2 slice of bread
1/3 C of rice or cereal (hot or cold)

Older children and adults:
1 slice of bread
1/2 C Rice
1 oz cereal

Fruits and Vegetables:

Toddlers:
2 Tb Raw or cooked
1/4 C of juice

Preschoolers:
1/4 C raw or cooked
1/2 C of juice

Older Children and Adults:
1/2 C raw or cooked
3/4 C of juice

Milk and Dairy:

Toddlers:
1/2 C milk or yogurt
1 oz cheese

Preschoolers:
3/4 C or milk or yogurt
1 1/2 oz cheese

Older Children and Adults:
1 C milk or yogurt
1 1/2 oz cheese

Meat, Eggs and Beans:

Toddlers:
1 oz meat
2 Tb beans
1/2 egg
1 Tb peanut butter

Preschoolers:
1 1/2 oz meat 1/4 C beans
1 egg
2 Tb peanut butter

Older Children and Adults:
2 oz meat
1/2 C beans
1 egg
2 Tb peanut butter.

What Does That Mean For Dinner?

Toddlers:
1/2 C milk,
1 oz protein,
2 Tb fruit or vegetable and
1/4 C or slice bread/rice/pasta

4 to 6 year olds:
3/4 C milk,
1 1/2 oz protein,
1/4 C fruit or vegetables and
1/2 C or slice bread/rice/pasta