Picky Eaters!

Wow the month of January has been filled with parents pulling their hair out trying to get their kids to eat and eat better. Most of the parents and the kids have been pretty receptive in learning how to avoid feeding mistakes and trying new foods. Here's a few things that may help those picky eaters!

1. Offer your kids small portions of everything on the table. Never force your kids to clean their plate or scold them for wasting food. Teaching your kids to be 'in tune' with their hunger and fullness cues at this age will help their relationship with food be comfortable.
2. Encourage them to try at least one small bite of the foods they dislike each time they are offered. Over time, the food may become more familiar to them, and their distaste may wear off.
3. Model good eating behaviours yourself. Pile plenty of vegetables onto your own plate, and let your kids know how much you enjoy them.
4. Try to stick to a consistent meal and snack schedule, and allow at least two hours between your child's afternoon or afterschool snack and dinner. This way, they are more likely to fill up and try new foods at lunch and dinner.

These are just some easy little things to try while also trying to possibly 'disguise' healthy foods. Putting grated zucchini or pureed carrots into a pasta sauce or a meatloaf, mashing cauliflower or zucchini into muffins, making healthy dips for veggies......

Good luck!