Picky eaters?

Kids develop their eating habits by example, and by what is given to them on a daily basis. I've definitely fallen into the "convenience" rut of making my child pasta, and some form of wheat + dairy for breakfast each and every day. After all, it was easy, and what she liked. However, this constant intake of highly-refined, sugary foods, limited the willingness to try a variety of good, nutritious foods, namely vegetables. It took time to get myself out of that habit, but with a bit of time and patience, it wasn't too difficult. By introducing new foods gradually, I eventually expanded the variety of tastes and flavors in meals for my child (who now eats absolutely everything!) Perseverance was key, but without making food a "big deal" since ultimately it's about encouraging a life-long habit of good eating.

Studies show that it takes approximately a dozen tastes before a picky/fussy child will accept something new. So, by introducing anything new again and again, it becomes the "norm". Meal time shouldn't be a battle, it should be a time to share, enjoy, and nourish together. It's mainly when a child knows that they have a choice, (real food vs processed foods) that everything spirals out of control. In countries where food is "just food, real food", there are no issues about not eating well. A vegetable is a vegetable, a standard part of a meal. 

In the Standard American Diet (SAD), ketchup, french fries and the tomato sauce on a pizza counts as a serving of vegetables. The standard green salad is totally unappealing when in competition with those sugary, salty, deep-fried foods. But with a little creativity, there are plenty of other ways to integrate nature's goodness into foods. Not only do adding vegetables provide essential nutrients for growing bodies, they also add color and flavor to any dish. Start with adding a little, then gradually increase the amount and variety of vegetables into meals. For the ultimate picky eater, there are also easy ways to "sneak" them in by integrating vegetables that are similar in color and texture to the familiar foods. (see ""Sneaky Chef" below.)

Getting kids involved in cooking, or even helping to shop for a rainbow of produce, are some ways to getting them interested in (not reluctant) about plant food. Or grow some herbs in a few flower pots from seed, so that they can understand and appreciate a real "from seed to table" experience.

Trying new foods together, and having an open mind, is also essential. I had never made curry for my kids until they tried a tasting sample at the supermarket. The expression "you never know until you try" really holds true. I assumed that the spice would be to overwhelming for them. That taught me not to assume that kids like bland foods! Now, when they like something that they've eaten when either at a restaurant or at a friend's home, they ask me to make it too. Now, some of our regular family favorites from these requests are Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Chili, Pad Thai, and Cauliflower Soup.

These are some of my favorite dishes to easily eat/add veggies to:
Chili
Curry
Fried Rice
Green Juice
Potato Pancakes

Quiche
Ragu

Soup

Veggie Dumplings

These books are great references in helping find tips and tricks do parents in setting a good foundation of healthy eating habits.

• French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters – Karen Le Billon Ten common-sense "rules" to set standards when it comes to foods and mealtime. The book encourages parents to take charge and set down basic rules, guidelines, and understandings about food — of what and when to eat, and most importantly, being firm with fussy or picky eaters to TRY new foods. 
• The Cleaner Plate Club: Raising Healthy Eaters One Meal at a Time – Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin Written by two working moms, this is a fun, colorful reference for parents and kids on eating real, healthy foods. The book is filled with extensive information on ingredients as a guide on making healthy choices. Simple recipes, meal suggestions and handy tips also help make cooking approachable.
• The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals – Missy Chase Lapine Uses a "sneaky" approach for integrating vegetables into standard favorites by integrating purees. While I don't need to sneak veggies into my kids' meals, I have tried a couple of times, like breading chicken with her White Puree, and we all noticed that it actually adds more depth and flavor to the food! Using this method, you're essentially "training" their tastebuds to accept those vegetables – a transition to the willingness of eating vegetables. 

How do you feel about your child(ren)'s eating habits? Are new foods welcome with gusto? Or is it a struggle to go outside the handful of favorites? What happens when these "favorites" are dropped, what next? Are enough vegetables integrated into each meal, every day? Are they "Eating the Rainbow"? Need some extra help and support with making food choices and meal planning? Contact me any time! ;) It may sound daunting, but every child has the potential to love their veggies.