Getting Your Picky Eater to Eat

Are you wondering how to help your picky eater toddler get all the nutrients she needs to grow into a healthy strong child? Well you're not alone. Many parents dread dinnertime, because regardless of what they prepare to please their toddler it ends up smeared on the highchair or landing on the floor. So, we provided a list of tips to help you please your picky eater.

Fun Food Tips

• Provide a mix of foods on a nibble tray. Captive your child's attention and appetite by using a muffin tin, or a compartmentalized dish to place different colorful bit-sized portion of foods in each section. To make it fun, label each food in a playful manner so you're three-year-old can appreciate the food. For example calling banana slices, something like banana wheels, will make dinnertime less dreadful for your child and yourself.
• Dip and Dunk. Add a little yummy dip with your toddler's meal to help him finish his veggie portions and other foods. Some possible dips you can use include: cottage cheese, cream cheese, peanut butter, yogurt and tofu dip.
• Remember to Spread. You can spread cream cheese, jam, or peanut butter thinly on a bagel slices or toast to add more flavor to the healthy grains.
• Top it. Toddlers love toppings as much as they love the cream filling in cookies. So, why not top foods your finicky toddler finds unappealing with their favorite topping? A little melted cheese on broccoli might make broccoli a bit more delicious in the eyes of your toddler.
• Drink it. If you're toddler enjoys chugging down drinks, instead of eating her fruit slices, then why not make a fruit smoothie together? Or on the days when there's no time to make smoothies, simply add vitamin supplements such as Ovaltine into your child's glass of milk to increase the amount of nutrients he intakes.
• Slice it into Bite-Sizes. How much your toddler eats of something may depend on the size of the portion. To make foods more appealing, try cutting sandwiches, waffles into fours. If you want to get a little creative, you can use different cookie cutters to cut foods like pancakes.
• Serve it differently. Kids enjoy surprises; try serving snacks in an unexpected way. Try placing carrot slices in an ice-cream cone, or buy a toy plate to use for dinner instead of the regular dishes.
• Put the fun in greens. If you're toddler doesn't like her vegetables, then try showing her the fun and importance of eating vegetable. Why not, plant a garden with her? Or create veggie art using your child's favorite dip.