Does your tot put up a fuss whenever he’s served new foods (and even then, only barely nibbles on them)? Not only is your child’s picky palate making mealtime monotonous, but you may also be worried that he isn’t getting the nutrients he needs.
Here are a few ways to entice picky eaters to eat something new for a change.
Why is my toddler suddenly such a picky eater?
Picky eating is part and parcel of being a toddler. As with many other perfectly normal, yet exasperating toddler behaviors, your child’s growing need for independence and control (yes, even at this age) is a major contributing factor — and mealtime is the one place where he can exert some control.
Many toddlers are also resistant to change — and trying new foods is a big-time change — whereas others just have sensitive taste buds and prefer to eat bland foods for the time being.
Tips for getting a picky toddler to eat
Your toddler will likely outgrow his finicky eating habits before long. But in the meantime, there are ways to tempt your toddler to finish a meal.
Involve your child in food prep
Your picky eater may be a lot more interested in trying something new if he’s had a hand in putting it together. Take your child shopping at the grocery store or farmer’s market and let him help pick out foods he’d like to eat.
Back at home, let him help make the meal. Even a toddler can stir fruit into yogurt or squirt mustard on bread.
Or try planting an herb or vegetable garden in a corner of your yard or on your windowsill. Let your toddler help water the plants and watch them sprout. Encourage him to taste what he’s grown.
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Give him options
Load your picky eater’s plate with a few different foods, though at least one of them should be something he likes to eat. Next, encourage him to explore one of the new foods — pick it up, touch it and smell it — so that it becomes more familiar to him.
Or, try offering him two different options: "Would you like some bananas or peaches with your cereal?" By allowing your toddler to choose what he eats, you satisfy his appetite for autonomy.
Don’t be too pushy
It’s good to encourage your toddler to "take a taste" of a new (or old) food. But if he refuses, don’t pressure him, bribe him or even tell him to "try one more bite." You won’t win this battle, and holding your ground can backfire and turn your child off to the food instead.
Remember: You’re responsible for serving the food — your toddler is responsible for how much of it he decides to eat.
Try "food chaining" (or "food bridging")
This simply means serving foods that are similar. For example, if your child eats cantaloupe, try serving him some ripe honeydew melon — he may dig right in. If he likes tortellini, he may take to ravioli in that bowl as well. If he's a fan of cut-up zucchini, throw in some very thin, seedless cucumber slices on his plate.
Present food in a new way
Maybe steamed carrots aren’t his thing — but puréed carrots may ring his bell. Is yogurt a no go? Try giving him a yogurt drink or squeezable yogurt in a tube. A toddler who doesn’t like the texture of tofu may enjoy popping mashed soybeans into his mouth.
Host a play (food) date
Children learn a lot from other kids their age. Arrange a lunch date with your picky eater’s pals and find out what they like to eat — then, invite them over and let them be good role models. Food always looks better on someone else’s plate — especially when it comes with a stamp of approval from a best friend.
Give the food another name
If your toddler loves broccoli but turns up her nose at cauliflower, dub soft-cooked cauliflower "white broccoli." Or, indulge your tot’s love of mashed potatoes by calling sweet potatoes "orange potatoes."
You might even be able to coax your little one to eat vegetable quiche by calling it "pie." Later on, after he likes the food — or when he graduates from high school, whichever comes first — you can clue him into the real names.
Make "food art"
A sandwich cut into four squares is still the same old boring sandwich. But shaping it into a snowman with a cookie cutter or decorating the bread with a "face" — cucumber eyes, a berry nose, red-pepper mouth and shredded yellow squash for hair — can make it more appealing. Who knows, this cartoon character sandwich might just tempt your toddler to take a bite.
Set a good example
Children learn by watching their parents. So act out your enthusiasm for good-for-you foods that are served at mealtimes. ("Mmm … the tomatoes in this salad are so yummy!")
Don’t give up
Just because your child refused something the first time you offered it to him doesn’t mean he won’t eat it the next time. Continue to serve up that new food, and eventually, once it becomes a familiar sight, your tot may venture a taste.
Be patient, though. It can take up to 15 attempts before your picky eater gets used to a new flavor.
Best foods for picky eater toddlers
As easy as it may be to throw together yet another bowl of pasta, try to broaden your toddler’s culinary horizons with an array of colorful fruits and vegetables (which are packed with nutrients), iron-rich meats and healthy whole grains.
Just make sure you cut the foods into small enough pieces that your child isn’t at risk of choking.
To up your child’s interest in his meals, try boosting the flavors with spices (like cinnamon), herbs and lemon juice.
Here are a few picky-eater favorites:
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Beans
- Blueberries
- Cheese
- Chicken
- Cucumbers
- Eggs
- Bell peppers
- Raspberries
- Salmon
- Strawberries
- Whole grain bread
- Yogurt
When to talk to your child’s doctor about picky eating
As long as your toddler is getting enough calories — and isn’t subsisting on cheese puffs — food ruts aren’t harmful to his long-term health. Remember, too, that as a parent, it's your responsibility to serve healthy food to your child — but it's up to him to decide just how much he wants to eat.
Children’s appetites slow down in toddlerhood compared to when they were babies. If, however, you notice that your child isn’t gaining any weight or seems weak, lethargic or unusually irritable, talk to your pediatrician, who can help make sure that your little one is getting all the nutrients he needs.
In all likelihood, however, his finicky tastes are just a phase. Hang in there — he should eventually outgrow it.
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