How to Feed Children Who Are Picky Eaters

You’ve spent two hours slicing and dicing, sautéing and sweating over a hot stove in the kitchen. It’s the perfect meal – nutritionally balanced, a delight to the palate, a culinary masterpiece. But your three year old takes one look at it and says, “oh yuck.” There is nothing as frustrating as preparing a fabulous meal only to have it rejected outright. Wolfgang Puck never had to deal with this level of disdain from even the snottiest food critic. So, what’s a parent to do when faced with a picky eater?

Here are a few tricks they don’t teach at the culinary institute:

Leave the power struggles to the Sous-chef and waiter

You’re neither – you’re the parent. And picking your battle is half the war. The moment you tell a toddler that he has to eat his broccoli before he can get down from the table, he’ll clamp his little jaws shut and you’ll be sitting there until bedtime. Toddlers love to assert their independence, and let’s face it…it’s pretty hard to force a kid to chew and swallow. The good news is that he’ll eat when he’s hungry. Pull out some of your other great chef tricks, and save the power struggle for the day he comes home and wants a tattoo.

Multiple choice is always better than fill-in-the-blank

Your kitchen is not a restaurant and you shouldn’t approach your diners with a query: “What would you like for dinner, madam?” Instead, offer multiple choices. Here’s a little test:

An acceptable dinner for a child is…

A) Green vegetables, healthy protein and complex carbohydrates

B) Anything without high-fructose corn syrup

C) The three grains of rice and half-bite of chicken she actually ate

The answer is all of the above. Offer an array of healthy choices and then let your child eat what she wants. She may ignore the asparagus for weeks and only eat rice, but if you keep offering it, she’ll eventually give it a try.

Deception and Disguise

A little trickery never hurt a toddler. If you just can’t get him to eat any vegetables, resort to deception. Puree carrots and add it to soup. Mix fruit with yogurt in the blender for a shake. Add veggies to spaghetti sauce. Disguising vitamin-laden foods inside something they’ll actually eat is one of the oldest tricks in the book. If you need some ideas, give your mom a call – she probably hid vegetables from you for years.

Gourmet Games are Good

Make mealtime fun! Try a guessing game where your child closes his eyes and has to guess what you’re feeding him. Stick to stuff he likes here – how would you like to be surprised with a mouthful of beets when you’re hoping for mashed potatoes?

Dress up your pancakes with blueberry smiles and cut your grilled cheese sandwiches in shapes with cookie cutters. Involve your child in the meal preparation and throw in an Emeril-style Bam! as you add healthy ingredients.

Play counting games with grapes. Sort carrot and celery sticks. Make up funny new names for casserole dishes. There are no stuffy waiters here - you won’t get kicked out of your dining room if you laugh too loud or play with your food.

Supplement the Menu with a Supplement

Most diners could use a vitamin supplement, especially those who are more likely to enjoy the chocolate mousse more than the glazed carrots. Ask your pediatrician to recommend a good multi-vitamin and offer it as an appetizer.

You Don’t Have to Have a Five Star Rating to be the Best Restaurant in Town

Your child may decide to eat nothing but peanut butter for three weeks straight. He may eat with wild abandon one week, then refuse to eat anything at all the next. Toddlers don’t write for the New York Times food section, so unless he’s losing weight or acting lethargic, don’t worry. Someday your culinary skills will be enjoyed with the acclaim they deserve.