If her kid is a picky eater, a concerned mom knows all about the worry and frustration of making sure her fussy kid gets good nutrition. Mealtime might be a little easier if moms try some of these hacks — used by other mamas on Instagram — to make eating with a picky toddler a little less difficult. These tips and tricks aren't about hiding veggies in foods (we've all tried that!) — these are super cool and creative ideas for preparation and presentation that we hope will turn a picky eater into a more adventurous one.
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Getting little kids to eat anything can sometimes be a problem. But for the mom who has a kid who won't eat because of how something looks or smells, or due to its textuer? Well, that can make dinner time impossible. What's a mom to do? These tricks we've found address the many reasons why little ones refuse to eat. Food touching too close together? Unsure of a food that seems foreign? Doesn't like anything too squishy? Well, these hacks address all of these problems. Sometimes a mom just needs a helping hand — and these kid-friendly food tricks are a gift from one mom to another.
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Let's aim high — if a mom gets her little one to eat one broccoli "tree," then it's a success.
Have fun with plates & utensils.
Never underestimate the power of a fun plate and toy-like utensils. Peas look more appealing when they look like they're piled up in a construction zone.
Get artsy.
Introduce food in the shapes of animals or favorite characters to make mealtime seem more like playtime (and hopefully less like torture).
Try some frozen nibbles.
When our kids were babies, many of us made baby food and froze it, but we can continue that practice for toddlers and older kids, too. You might be surprised: If your kid doesn't like warm sweet potatoes, she may like to chomp on frozen ones.
Have fun with shapes and sticks.
Making food look fun can make eating it more fun. That can be as simple as putting it on a stick or cutting it into a cute shape. We love these banana grape "kebabs" as well as the appetizing star shapes. Fingers crossed your picky eater will, too.
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Let them help in the kitchen.
When kids get involved in the process of making a food, they may also be more likely to at least try it — even if it's something they typically wouldn't. Keep cooking and prepping together, and maybe eventually your kid will start tasting more foods.
Introduce new foods little by little.
It's okay to fall back on your kid's favorite meals; but occasionally add in one or two pieces of a new food. This mom blogger puts two pieces of orange in a lunch box full of foods her kid does eat. Keep adding a little bit of the new food until your kid tries it.
Make it like dessert.
Most kids love popsicles; make them healthy by DIYing them. Freeze the healthy stuff you'd put into a smoothie — fruit, yogurt, coconut milk, even pureed veggies — into a frozen treat. It could be served for breakfast!
Let your kid play with food.
Playing with food doesn't have to be no-no. In fact, it could make your little one become more comfortable with new foods, and be more likely to eat them then, too.
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Mix it up.
Mom Shanai created this lunch consisting of ricotta pancakes, leftover pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, and cashews. If your kid loved his pasta from last night, why not add a little in for lunch, along with a good variety of other foods? There are no rules to how many things you can put on your kid's plate.
Add prizes.
This mom uses a "New Foods Chart" to encourage her picky eater to try new things. After 10 new foods, her son is rewarded with a "prize" of their choice.
