Picky! Picky! Picky!

Kids are funny about what they choose to put in their mouths. They have no problem sampling dirt or Play-doh but won't touch the delicious casserole you spent an hour preparing. My daughter's favorite food was chicken pot pie for a couple weeks and now she won't even take a bite. My boys are great eaters and will eat just about anything you put in front of them (or steal it from you if it wasn't put in front of them). My daughter, on the other hand, is very particular about what she'll eat. And of course her preferences change week to week. So what's a mom to do? There has to be some balance between making their favorites and putting your foot down. On one hand I think, "Deal with it, kid. You eat this or you skip dinner." Then I think, "wait a minute, as an adult there are foods I don't like and don't eat. Shouldn't she be allowed to have some choice." So, here's "Dealing with picky eaters according to Gina- random thoughts on kids eating habits."

One thing to consider when it comes to eating is that it's not just about taste, it's about texture. Maybe it isn't really the taste that offends your child, but the texture. I love yogurt but I can't handle strawberry or blueberry chunks in my creamy snack. I do love the flavor though if I can find smooth and creamy versions. Kids can be quite finicky about how something feels. Maybe the spaghetti sauce is too chunky, the squash too slimy, the onions too squishy. Try preparing things different or throwing a portion into the blender/food processor for a more consistent texture. Temperature plays a role too and may need to be adapted for younger eaters.

One big obstacle is finding ways to get your kids to eat their veggies. Carrot sticks and "ants on a log" (celery with pb and raisins) are great snacks. As a kid I loved frozen peas (just run them under hot water til separated). I use to thaw some frozen peas and carrots to give to my son. We would talk about the shapes and bounce the "balls" into his mouth. Tell your child to pretend to be a giant and eat the "trees" (broccoli). Try adding vegetables to their favorite dishes. My daughter loves alfredo sauce with peas and corn. Or food process the veggies and add to a sauce (hee hee, they'll never know). My mom adds spinach to her delicious smoothies.

Encourage them to keep trying new foods. Even if they didn't like it before they may grow into it. I've started a rule that you have to try at least one bite of everything on your plate and you can't whine and say it's yucky. I also give my kids small portions of everything and they have to clean their plate before they can have more of anything. You can take your child grocery shopping with you and let them pick out a new food to try from the produce section.

Give them healthy choices. If you have good food available and let them choose they'll learn good habits. Talk about "sometimes" (cookies) and "anytime" food (apple). If you're like me you may have to remind yourself of this often.

You can make it a fun, learning experience by talking about shapes, colors, counting, grouping, etc. My sister-in-law recommended talking about eating a variety of colors and reviewing what colors they've eaten. Read "Pinkalicious" to talk about what happens when you eat too much of one color.

Post your comment to tell us what you do to help your kids eat better! Don't be modest, if you have a good idea, share. And remember, even small and simple thoughts can help.