Healthy Tips For Those Picky Eaters At Home…+ Recipes!

It can be hard to find healthy dishes that your children and loved ones enjoy, especially when you have one or two picky eaters in the house.

Most often picky eating, especially in very young children, is temporary, and is very different from more serious conditions like an eating disorder.

However, there are some tips and tricks that may help you get your fussy eaters to expand their culinary horizons while ensuring they enjoy a balanced diet.

Get Them Involved

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has many tips for picky eaters, but at the top of its list are a few ideas on how to get your child more interested about what's in the kitchen.

• Your New Sous Chef: Allowing your children to help you prepare meals can help them in a few different ways, including getting them excited about food, helping them learn more about different foods and how to prepare dishes. Depending on your child's age, you can have them start with simple tasks like scrubbing veggies or even throwing in the spices for that yummy pasta sauce.
• Let the Picky Eater Pick: It can be helpful to present your child with choices to help them explore new foods. For instance, at the grocery store, you can have them pick out one or two fruits they'd like to try. Also, when preparing a meal, present your child with either/or choices like apple or pear. For snacks, you can have them pick one off of a list full of easy, nutritious options.

Another important tip is to make sure mealtime is for in-person connection between you, your child and loved ones. That means keeping electronics turned off and away from the dinner table and offering the same meal to the whole family.

Introducing New Foods

Maybe you want to experiment with spicier foods or are trying out some heart healthy recipes, there will likely be times when you want to introduce new foods into your family's diet.

It's common for your picky eaters to reject these ideas at first, but here are some strategies to help them come around:

• Start Small & Try Again: Let your child start with a small portion of a food you want them to try and then build from there. Also, if they don't like it at first, don't hesitate to try it out again. Many children don't like new foods right away, and it could take several tries for them to really know whether they like it or not.
• One New Food At Time: If you're trying out a new food at mealtime, be sure to offer it to your child when they're the hungriest at the start of the meal. Also, not only should you keep it to small portions at first but you should also only try out one new food at a time. More than one could be too much for your child and discourage them from trying new foods altogether.

Don't be afraid to try new foods yourself either! If your child sees you trying new foods and expressing how and why you enjoy them, they are more likely to experiment with new foods, too.  

Healthy, Tasty Recipes For Picky Eaters

Here are a few recipes that could help you liven up your dishes and ensure your picky eaters have a nutritious, enjoyable meal:

• Recipe: Low-Fat Herbed Ranch Dressing: This low-fat ranch is great to have on hand during dinner or stored in the fridge to help your child get their servings of veggies or add to a new food they're unsure about.
• Recipe: Summer Fruit Ambrosia with Vanilla Nut Cream: If your child loves something sweet, this creative dish helps satisfy their cravings while helping them get their daily servings of fruit.
• Recipe: Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps: These lettuce wraps introduce plenty of flavor and tang your child might enjoy while also being a great vehicle to introduce them to new flavors and ingredients.
• Recipe: Low Calorie Buffalo Cauliflower Bites: It seems like every child loves chicken wings. However, this recipe trades high-fat fried chicken for healthy cauliflower without sacrificing that amazing flavor.