Picky Toddler

If you offer the same foods over and over again, after a while, they will eat it, esp if they are hungry.

Some healthy snacks my kids like:
sliced banannas and almond butter
baby carrots and hummus
edamame (cook it and keep it ready. Trader joe's has ones already made in the vegetable aisle.)
sesame seeds
Sliced apples, sometimes with cinnamon

Oatmeal is healthy, they always love it and it's filling. Throw fruit in it and mix it up.

Smoothies are great to sneak healthy stuff into them.

Egg whites or eggs with a few bits of spinach or broccoli.

Healthy crackers from whole foods.

I saw someone mentioned in the reply that juiceplus is great! Yes, it has 17 servings of fruits and veggies and comes in gummies, chewables, and tablets.
http://www.juiceplus.com/+rg67124

I think you might enjoy this article on picky eaters entitled "How do I Deal with my Picky Eater?" Here is the link: http://southbayparentsonline.com/2008/01/31/how-do-i-deal...

Hi
I have a 3 1/2 year old little boy and I found a great way to get veggies into his meals has been having him help me in the kitchen. I bought a kid friendly cookbook and we look through it and find things we can make together. I take him shopping at the Farmer's Market and now we are starting a small garden. Getting him involved has made him so much more interested in fruits and veggies. I also bought him a mini plastic kitchen with fake fruits and veggies to "play" cook healthy meals. It has changed him around 10 fold-from goldfish snacking to apple chunks.
I am a working mom,too so I know it's hard to do all but I've slowly implemented and it is working-Good luck!

I highly recommend the book The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood by Dr. Sears. Fantastic book on childhood nutrition, plus lots of great ideas in it. It's a quick read!

With both of my kids, I started them young on eating healthy food so they didn't know any different. I would say in your case, first off - you buy the food, so stock only healthy choices. She may not love everything at first, but she will learn to enjoy it. Our bottom shelf in the pantry is full of green light foods. Snacks that the kids can grab and eat anytime of the day. They also have access to carrots, apples, pears, oranges, (whatever I have on the bottom shelf in the fridge). Since I've done this since they were about 1.5 years old, they do not fill up on snacks -they only eat when they are hungry. I offer a variety of snacks and I don't overwhelm them with too many different things. A few good cereals (Puffins, Mighty Bites, Kashi Autumn Wheat are their favorites), whole grain crackers, pretzels, ZBars, just to name a few. During our snack times (mid morning and afternoon) I set veggies/fruits or both down on the table and since I've always done this and I've always snacked on the same, they've never declined to try what I put out. Carrots, sweet peppers, sugar snap peas, beans, zuchinni, cucumber, grapes, watermelon, apples, oranges, etc.. you get it. This stuff is so easy, even if you are dead tired after work. While you are making dinner put a fun plate down of mixed veggies, or use a muffin holder with 6 slots in it and just put a couple of different veggies in each slot, maybe a piece of cheese and rolled up meat in another along with a few crackers? If it looks good and of course fun, she may be more tempted. The cookbooks where you hide the food are fine, but it is just as important to teach your kids early on to eat grow foods in their true form, afterall, they will grow up and have to make their own choices some day.

I wouldn't worry if all your daughter wants to do is snack, so long as she is snacking on good stuff. We do most of our shopping at Trader Joes and you can buy a lot of items that you'd find at your name brand Grocery store but are made with healthier ingredients and even cheaper!

She may resist a bit if she has been eating only processed foods (her taste buds may crave the sugars, salt, etc..) but don't give up. Don't force anything, just set it out for her and see what she does (if she is hungry, she will eat). When my kids get something brand new that they aren't sure of, I say, you just need to take one bite, if you don't like it you never have to eat it again. Only once has my 5yo not liked the item (cooked cauliflower, but she loves raw cauliflower). My almost 3 yo son has pretty much liked everything he has tried. Also, I think "they" say if your child doesn't like something you offer the first time, don't give up, reintroduce it another time - takes something like 11x to know for sure if they don't like it.

I could go on and on about this so if you want more suggestions, email me directly, otherwise, best of luck to you and be sure to start now! It's alot easier now then when they turn 11!
M.
____@____.com

I hope I don't repeat others' responses since I didn't read them all, but here's my suggestions:
- PLANT A GARDEN, if possible. Even if it's just one or two containers with some tomatoes, radishes (supposedly easy if you're a beginner), beans, or herbs. I've heard many people say children (and adults!) are more likely to eat food they've helped plant. They feel a part of the process, plus fresh produce tastes better so great! Better than from the store...
- LET HER CHOOSE produce from the store, in addition to a garden (or if a garden's not possible right now). Same reasons.
- CHOOSE THE HEALTHIEST SNACKS, if you're not willing to take a moment to cut up fruit or prepare other simple healthy snacks.
- Pick snacks containing whole grains, real fruit, and the least processing
- Stay away from convenience foods with too much sugar, empty-calories, no nutritional value (ie candy, candy bars, twinkie-types).
- LEAVE HEALTHY SNACKS OUT on the counter or table (fresh fruit, veggies and dip, etc) and keep junk and processed foods behind closed doors.
- FUN PRESENTATION - Make shapes or faces out of healthy foods. It's easier than it sounds. Count and discuss letters too.
- INCLUDE HEALTHY DIPS for anything you think she might not like and encourage her to take little bites too, not just lick off the dip.
- lead by EXAMPLE...she'll eat what you eat (usually). If you must have your junk food, eat it while she's napping, in bed, or another room.

To me, it shouldn't be a matter of sneaking unless it's the ONLY way. Most of the places I've heard of adding veggie puree, they add it while the kids are watching, so they're aware of what they're eating. I try to add extra nutrition to everything I make, though, hidden and not. Hopefully if she's offered more nutritious snacks she'll grow to understand their importance and the REASONS behind eating healthy, not just because it's what mom gives her even if it tastes yucky.
There are some great websites out there with yummy healthy snacks and meal ideas for children. Good luck in your search.

Lastly, here's a great smoothie recipe my friend gave me that I love! It's healthy and delicious! Kids love its green color too...can you say St. Patrick's day?

Smoothie Surprise:
-Pineapple juice
-1 banana (frozen is better)
-1 yogurt (I use 1-2 c of plain yogurt)
-2 handfuls spinach (I add more)
(Personal additions - flaxseed, wheat germ, anything else you want to sneak in...vitamins maybe?)

-Amounts may vary. Blend until smooth, adding more juice or water to thin it down.

HTH,
N.

I have a 2.5 year old who is picky too. I keep only healthy snacks in the house. If her only options are healthy than I don't have to worry about what she eats. We do encourage her to eat regular meals though since it is important for her to learn how to eat at regular times of the day and sit at the dinner table. But if I have a day with her where she won't budge and I am too tired to fight about it, I can be assured she is still getting nutrients from her snacks and "food on the go". Here are some examples of what I have in the house:

Nuts, popcorn (I know some people would say these are choking hazards. I make her sit down with me to eat them)

Organic granola bars

Dried Fruit

Organic Fresh Fruit (Banana's, Strawberries, Apples, Pears, Melons, anything that is in season)

Organic graham crackers

I make peanut butter balls with oats, dried milk, honey & PB.

Chips made from veggies for a special treat (from Trader Joes)

Shakes with fruit, yogurt, wheat germ, etc. (You can pretty much put anything in a shake).

I also puree spinach and put it in her scrambled eggs. You can steam spinach, puree in a food processor or blender. Then freeze in an ice cube tray. Once frozen remove from tray and store in a freezer bag. Then when you want pureed spinach, just reach in the freezer and grab a cube! I do this with lots of fruits and veggies.

Good luck! I know it can be frustrating!

My son was a picky toddler and now he's a picky pre-teen. I admit, when he was littler, I didn't get too adventurous with snacks. I stayed with the basic healthy ones like bananas, carrot sticks etc. He didn't like most of them and still to this day won't choose them if he has another option. With my daughter, I've introduced more diverse foods like avocado, olives, pickles. She's snacking great but he was and is my challenge.
To get him to eat carrots sometimes, we watched Bugs Bunny. He would only eat them when saying "what's up doc". He loved Gogurts but hated yogurt, (he's lightened up there too), liked string cheese, Tomato soup (after I told him it was blood soup, he's always liked the shock factor)
So what I've learned from both and even myself being a picky child?
Think outside the box while she's young enough to do it first off. Try some things that you might not like yourself and give her everything to try. (I hate olives personally but my daughter can't get enough of them)Avocado is a healthy fat source. Buy some baby dills in a jar of her very own. My dad used to make me apples with cheese slices on them, peanut butter and banana sandwiches. With my son, he pretty much hated everything except the few things I mentioned, so I filled the bottom drawer of our fridge as his "snack drawer" and he's allowed to eat anything in it whenever he wants to. It's full of Go-gurts, sliced peaches, string cheese, applesauces.
He also loves V-8. Can't drink enough of it so I keep those on hand. My son liked the "shock factor" of foods so for him calling tomato soup "blood soup" was cool and he wanted to eat it (I'd try to feed it to him before it was blood soup and he refused it :) Popeye is awesome for spinach.
Make a game of it and if she likes something healthy, stock up on it and leave it available for her to get to. V-8s come in little cans too and you can buy those for her also.
I also did the "hide the veggie" method with my son. Carrots, cauliflower, spinach, all puree pretty well and mix easily with hamburger :) You can also add V-8 to meatloaf, spaghetti sauce etc.

Good luck to you!

Don't hide the healthy stuff - leave it out everywhere. Hide the junk :). Snacking is much healthier then having only 3 square meals a day. Eat the snacks your offering to her. For some reason whatever mom and dad are eating is usually more interesting.

My son is 7 yrs old so he has more control of his snacking choices now but we started this about the same age your daughter is now. We keep snack spots in reachable places for him in the cupboard and fridge. He knows to ask first before snacking so we can decide if he should have a meal instead. Maybe start off with just one or two items in her snack spots incase she decides to go all out you can teach her the new concept. When you feel confident then increase the qty of snacks.

When we shop we "negotiate". If he choses something I feel is too sugary or unhealthy I will find something similar but with better ingredients or whole grains. I do allow him to chose 1 "junk" snack item when we shop but the rest all has to be healthy. He's learned that if he eats all his junk right away he won't get another junk snack until all the healthy ones are gone as well.

Here's some items we keep in snack spots:

CUPBOARD: Gold Rold Pretzels, peanuts, popcorn (brings it to me to pop), Kashi/Kellogs granola bars, whole grain/wheat crackers, whole wheat (when we can find it) Fig Newtons, Wheat Thins,

FRIDGE: Sugar-free jello & pudding, muffins, edimame, cut up fruits in individual size tupperware, yogurt, string cheese. He doesn't like vegetables raw but I keep them in there for me and always hope he'll get desperate.

his junk choices: individual cookie packages, individual packages of super cheesy cracks

Keep trying the same items with her a couple times, they say it could take up to 20 times (more or less depending what article your reading) of trying something before finally liking it.

I know its super hard, especially when your tired. Good luck!

Hi, why don't you have fruit and vegetables with you all the time and if she wants to snack on something, well that's all you have right now...

We buy pickle-sized cucumbers and my kids eat a couple of those a day. They are easy to hold, and tasty. Armenian markets have the best ones with thin skins. I also buy the carrots with the greens on them. I say, "Who wants a Bugs Bunny carrot?" They both yell "MEEEEE!"

what does she desire to snack on? If it is salty for example, put sea salt on carrot and celery sticks. If it is sweet, learn about Stevia the amazing sweet herb that is good for you. Very easy and healthy to make ice cream or pudding: Organic plain yogurt (this is healthy, get plain) add a little stevia, I like best the KAL brand stevia which they sell in Henry's or I can get you a website, and then add a drop or 2 of organic orange oil (any flavor kid likes) or add some frozen organic fruit. This is 3 ingredients, easy, tastes great and good for you. Let me know what you think

I have a picky 3 1/2 year old also. She's actually been much more of a challenge in that I had to send her to occupational therapy at 16 months old because she refused solids. She is completely normal, just strong willed and opinionated.

What you're experiencing is very age appropriate. Don't worry. A book you may consider reading is "How to Get Your Kid to Eat: But Not Too Much" by Ellyn Satter. This is the book used and promoted by my daughter's nutritionist, occupational therapist, and psychologist as part of us trying to get her to accept solid foods.

My daughter is my second child and I fought with my son trying to get him to eat healthy foods. I've learned to no longer fight. First, I have a strict schedule of 3 meal times and 2 (some do 3) snack times. In the beginning a timer was used to limit the amount of time my child sat at the table to eat. Whatever wasn't eaten was removed and nothing more could be offered or given until the next meal/snack time. Eventually, she learned to eat what and when it's provided. When I introduce new foods she doesn't want to eat we reward stages. The stages are: touch the food, kiss the food, lick the food, bite the food, eat the food. There were times that I was just thrilled my daughter touched a new food. It took time, but she now eats a wide range of foods. Her quantities are still low, but I'm okay with 2 bites of banana.

I do hide foods also, such as pureed carrots in meatloaf, spaghetti squash (instead of noodles) with marinara sauce, etc. But, I also offer a challenge food with it. I also make sure she gets a multivitamin.

Many others will suggest dips. Dips have also worked for me. My daughter will now eat carrots with a dill dip. We were able to get her to take her first bites of banana by putting peanut butter on it.

The bottom line is that experts say it takes numberous times introducing a food item to a child before they like it (I've heard 17-25 times). I've learned how true this is by using the methods above to introduce foods to my child. Be patient and it will get easier!!! My 6 year old, who was picky at 3, is testament to that.

Good luck!

try using jarred baby food to mix in, instead of pureeing it yourself. it makes it much easier to 'sneak' in good healthy food. what about Z clif bars (for kids) or balance bars as snacks? good luck!

I am sure your 3 1/2 yr. old is not starving nor unhealthy. I would not worry about her not wanting to eat. At that age, toddlers go thru spurts, either they refuse to eat, or want to eat everything in sight. Since you are the one doing the grocery shopping, it is necessary for you to buy your child only healthy snacks. They can be finger foods (celery sticks with peanut butter, carrot sticks, banana sandwiches (with peanut butter or jam in the middle), jello squares, canteloup squares (my kids loved them), carmel apple slices, "little trees" (broccoli, another favorite with the kids), baby corn, etc. There are so many healthy foods you can make, just stay away from too much sugar!

From one picky eater's Mom to another. They can't have what you don't buy.

My son was picky from the word-go. His favorite thing is breast milk still. His weight is below the zero percentile, but he looks normal - just never had that baby and toddler plumpiness. He is slender.

What I did was change my eating habbits to what I want his to be, whole and healthy foods. My son even loves broccoli. He is still picky, but he has an array of healthy choices, mostly organic. Cereal, apple/orange slices, grapes, dried blueberries without sugar, cheese sticks, carrot sticks, whole grain crackers, tortilla chips with flax seeds, whole grain pretzel sticks. I replaced sugar with Agave Nectar - Low Glycemic - so no sugar highs. I make cookies with whole grains, seaseme seeds flax meal and throw in some organic chocolate chips cause he'll eat anything with that in it. You can get some green powder and mix it with juice, put in in a sipy that is colored so he can't see it. Get a good organic liquid vitamin and mix it with the juice, throw in some Omega3.. she will be fine.

But meanwhile, your food choices have to change to what you want her to be eating for when she is more ready to eat normally. Kids do what they see you do.

remove the unhealthy snacks from her sight or the house and just put out good ones, if she says she is hungry, point out the snacks on her plate and say eat those and eat them with her

as for healthy food:

apples with peanut butter, or cheese
carrot sticks
raisins,
hard boiled egg
homemade cookies with pureed fruit instead of oil and sugar
no cereal with suger in the fist 5 or 6 ingredients

if it is not where she can see it, she will eventurally start eating what is there

under no circumstances should a 2 year old tell you what she is going to eat

J.-
Snacks are great as long as they provide nutrition. I have 6 children and a few of them would be happy to live on candy. I have found that if I keep only foods that I want my children to eat in the house then their only choices are good for them. Some ideas of foods to keep on hand are apple slices, grapes, celery with peanut butter, cheese sticks, graham crackers, pretzels, carrot sticks with dip, raisins, yogurt,and bananas.
My kids eat alot of toast, so I always keep lots of whole wheat bread on hand.
I realize that it is frustrating, kids can be very stubborn when it comes to what they want to eat. But if she knows you are committed to good nutrition because you love her and want her to be healthy, she will come around.
I hope this helps a little :)

Dips, Dips, Dips! Most toddlers love to dip their foods into sauces. Try ranch for baby carrots, celery, sweet peas, and fresh broccoli and cauliflower. Also make a peanut butter and honey dip for apples and pear slices. Cutie tangerines are also a nice treat. No child to date has ever starved when presented with tasty healthy foods to eat. If you throw away or hide all of the unhealthy snacks and just tell her that what you are serving her is all there is to eat, she will eventually eat it. If she needs to snack, she will. It is up to you what she eats, leave it up to her how much if any. Make it available to her so she feels like she has the power to eat it or not. That way she will learn to eat when her body is truly hungry instead of eating snacks just to satisfy her taste buds, and she will learn to make healthy choices at a young age! Be firm, and good luck.

A. A.

Hi J.,
I don't have any advice whatsoever, but wanted to let you know you're not alone and you're not a bad mom. My 3year old son is picky too. It was so disappointing since my 8 year old was such a good eater and ate (and still eats) all her good stuff. "I love salad" she said today when I asked her about her school lunch this morning!! My son, however, won't eat peas, barely corn or anything else of a green persuasion. Just optimize the stuff she does like. My son likes pasta, and frankly, if he had to be stuck on one veg like tomatoes, you can't complain. Lycopene and the studies they've done on the Italian diet suggests longevity as a result of high tomato consumption. So, YEAH I'll take what I can get. Also, GET HER A KIDS VITAMIN. Vitamins make me feel better when all he wants to eat are cookies and Cheese-Its! Don't worry--she'll grow out of it!
Alexis, 37, mother of 2.

I would suggest giving her only 2 (maybe 3) choices for meals and snacks, but make sure both choices are ones that YOU are okay with. For example: "Would you like an apple or a banana for a snack?" or "Would you like carrots or corn with dinner?" If she says, "But I want candy," or "Neither of those," you say, "I'm sorry, honey, that wasn't a choice. The choices are carrots or corn. Which one would you like to try?" If she's not used to this, she'll probably balk, but you'll have to stick to your guns and within a few days, things will get better. Be strong! :) and good luck.

I found that Edamame is a GREAT vegetable that both kids LOVE to eat. You can either get them in the pod and they have to work at getting them out or already in individual packs de-poded. Just nuk them until they are warm in some water, drain and give that to her prior to eating dinner or whatever. Other options are carrot sticks that you give before 1/2 hour dinner. I found that those are two veggies that they will eat with no problem. However, if I give them with dinner I find they will eat other stuff first. Another option is just give fruit prior to eating. If she wants to snack, give her either a fruit or veggie. Don't allow her to decide. Just put it out and if she eats it fine, if not, she doesn't. It isn't like she will starve. But you kind of have to lay down the law about having to eat it so that she will become strong, healthly, so that she won't having to visit the doctors as much.

Hi J.

Totally know where you're coming from! My daughter, now 4, always prefered a bad snack to a good snack...so I had to just stop getting the bad snacks. I try to prepare peapods, apples and carrots etc ahead of time and put them in the fridge where she can just grab it when she's hungry. It took some getting used to...now she loves veggies and apples! Good Luck!

I take my daughter to the market with me and she gets to pick out three fruits and three vegetables. Then when we are home, I let her help prepare them. I tell her she is suck a great cook and helper and we share all her healthy creations. When she does want something unhealthy I explain that I know it tastes good, but that eating it makes you have no good energy to play.
Happy mom of three girls,
M.
www.MrTeaTravel.com

you really are not the only one.

i have 2 out of 3 picky eaters. our family recently took a trip out of the country. we stayed with family and while the food prepared was all food that they eat, it wasn't their favorites at times. the comfort foods at home weren't available though. so they had to eat what was there, or be hungry.

children are smarter than to starve themselves (unless they have other medical conditions). So may be keep the snacks available to a minimum or out of sight. Keep offering the healthy snacks. Sometimes you to say, "Sorry, this is all we have to eat right now." If she turns the healthy snack down, she's probably not that hungry and she'll be ready to eat more at meal time.

I have a 3 1/2 year old son who is the same way. One way I find is to keep lots of fruits around the house. I keep a bowl of fruits on the table, he won't eat them right away, but in a couple of hours the bowl is empty.

My son loves Ranch dressing - granted it may not be healty, but he loves to dip his carrots & celery in it, we're starting to experience with brocolli Hopefully we can add it to our list :-)

Hope this helps.

Don't have the "unhealthy" snacks in the house, first of all. You need to model the healthy snacking. They will eat what you eat if that's all there is available; as long as it's not spicy. I always imagine living in a country that doesn't have anything processed available. What do the children eat there? I don't think they're asking for cheese, bread, noodles, etc. You know?
Be strong, consistent, and a good model. It takes preparation, but it's worth it.
Good luck

Hello J.
I have a picky eater at home as well (he's almost 3). If you have a healthy eating habit already you shouldn't worry. Just don't give inn. Offer her what you think is appropriate for her and stop serving her the snacks she wants. My son has tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants but i decided that it's worth the battle. He's going to eat what i offer him when he's hungry enough. If he refuses he goes hungry. She won't starve. But be patient it will take a while for her to adjust.
Good luck. M.

Dear J.,

You need to give her a choice of two or three healthy snacks, and then say no when she insists on what she wants. It will be a struggle, and you need to be strong, but it is very necessary, or that princess will get way too powerful and make your life miserable. We had to tell my gr granddaughter that she was the boss of the family dog to get her to stop telling everyone what to do. Then you keep reminding her that she is only the boss of the dog.

Our experience was that it helped the dog and the grand daughter have better behavior.

C. N.

Jennifer,

I'm a mother of two boys ages 3 and 5. Since birth, I wanted to provide them with "healthy" foods for as long as I can help it. You know when they get bigger and are surrounded by classmates who don't exactly munch on healthy snacks, they would tend to conform when we're not looking right? So I try to train them to eat alternative snacks. If your kids like to munch on snacks, try providing raisins instead of candies, yogurt instead of ice cream, soy instead of cow's milk. Ease the transition by starting with their snacks and then introduce nutritious foods during family meal times. Remember that the main factor of obesity and diabetes are due to insulin. Not so much fat and carbs, although moderately serve these. Low glycemic (not too much sugar in anything and everything) meals account to be important. Try shredding carrot sticks to make them look like orange noodles for them to munch on. Make it appealing to them using colors. You've got your chicken, carrots, then colorful fruit cocktail on the side placed on a character plate. My kids love it. They feel like it's a party meal everyday. They don't take much time, just ingenuity. My boys munch on cheese sticks, shredded carrots, all kinds of fruits for snack time. Stay away from juices. If you have to, do 1/2 water and 1/2 juice. Also for breakfast, I boil eggs and smash them with a little bit of mayo, salt and pepper on a wheat bagel. You can also make banana pancakes (mixed with milk). :) To supplement their diet for optimal nutrition. Check out my website: www.globalsynergy.usana.com and go to Products-> Essentials --> Usanimals. We have nutritionals you can trust. Our company, USANA HEALTH SCIENCES appear in the Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements as the top company compared to 15000 companies in 2007.(also check out the Children's Edition of the Guide). Good luck and Have a healthy Life to you and your family. God bless.

- M.

Hi I am a 55 year old mom and grandmother of six. First of all, who is the mom and who knows what is best for your child? Fix the food you know is best for her, maybe even give her a choice of two or three items. If she doesn't choose or argues with you, then tell her she can choose or you will choose! If you end up choosing and she still won't eat... then tell her you will save it for later. This is her food, she can choose to eat it or go hungry. Believe me, she will only go hungry once or twice before she realizes that she better eat what you give her! This has worked well with my daughter and her 6 year old daughter and 3 year old son. They do and have argued, pulled the tantrum, etc., but she just puts them in their room, calmly repeating the rule: You had the choice to choose or I would choose for you. You may eat it now or later, but no tantrums, talking back, etc. You may stay in your room until your attitude changes and you can use nice words. It's been hard for her since she waited a bit longer than age 3 with her daughter but staying consistent and calm has paid off. Most of the time the kids know to choose or lose the choice... mom is the MOM!

She also rewards them when they do choose and have a good attitude and use nice words and voices. The older one earns quarters (which she can also lose if she reverts to a bad attitude, tantrum, slamming doors). The three year old gets rewarded with watching a favorite DVD, show on TV or even a food or candy that he wants instead of what she's given him, so then he eats what she wants him to eat and he'll get a bit of the other. A win-win for both of them.

Hope this helps

The other day I picked up frozen french fried sweet potatos. Have you tried them? they are delish. That may be a good start, also, if you can break the cycle the cravings will stop for the salt/fat stuff. Also, since their taste buds are really hyper sensitive at this age, things like Broccoli even dipped in ranch may be too strong. fruit pizza is always a good choice too.

Well my little boy is the same way he is 4 now. He wouldnt eat anything but junk food and hot dogs. So I tried taking all the junk food out of our house and he didnt eat at all. I asked the Dr and he said it was normal. But I have found that making the food look and sound more fun works. Likd cutting sandwhiches into shapes or making smiley faces out of fruit. It worked for me

Hi J.,

Start by not buying the junky snacks she likes. I leave a bowl of fruit on the counter for "anytime snacking". If my kids want crackers I only keep the organic versions and I keep them on the highest shelf so there's no way they can get into them without me supervising the amount eaten. Ditto with cookies and other sweets. I also keep real carrots, not the pre-cut ones, in the fridge for snacking. I've noticed my kids prefer to eat a big carrot with some greens on top rather than the pre-cut kind. I think it's more fun for them and honestly the real ones taste better. I keep celery to spread with peanut butter for heartier snacks as well.

Next, do you share any meals together? If not perhaps you should try. My kids eat whatever I make for dinner, no mac&cheese or frozen pizza if they don't like the healthy soup or pasta that I've made.

Whatever changes you make be aware that she might not like it at first. You must be strong and patient. Supposedly children have to see a new food 10 times before they'll try it!

H.

I have a girlfriend who adds a powdered protein to muffins and things to make it more substantial. My picky son loved them. She gets it through Shaklee I think, you can google it. She also does the broccoli spinach puree and makes chicken strips by covering them in that and bread crumbs, I don't know how much work it was. They also tasted really good and my son ate them up. Personally, we just held out and stopped giving snacks around mealtimes. Then at dinner, we offered what we were eating with one thing we knew he really liked, but not enough of it to fill him up. If he even tried what we were eating, we rewarded him with another bite of his favorite and did that bite for bite. Now he is 4 and still picky, but trys new things and has enough healthy foods that we don't worry anymore. Good luck and don't give in :) I know it is hard, but worth it. Our doctor also told us that they won't starve and it is ok for them to not eat every meal. They will eat when they are hungry and eventually cave if you hold out on the goods ;)

You might try things like hummus on toast, a barbecue sauce to dip chicken strips, ranch dressing to dip carrots or celery. If your daughter likes pickles, it may be a clue that stronger flavors will entice her. See if she likes edamame...many toddlers do. These are all things that have worked with my 3 grandchildren.

3 year olds are notorious about being in charge. They realize that they have control of a lot of things and are testing the waters/you. Food will always be something that you will fight your children on. I know it is hard but it you just be firm but allow for some compromises with her (like eating one piece of brocolli or half of her veggies then she is done). Children like to have a choice, so give her the choice of eating that piece of veggie or sitting at the table till the meal is done/5 minutes longer then everyone. I know with my soon to be 3 year old grandson he is a terrible snacker before meals. He would eat gummy snacks all day long if I let him. He gets one bag a day at the most, but I have apples, bananas, and carrot sticks available for snacking before a meal to tide him over if necessary and that is all he has a choice from (strawberries and melon sometimes). This gives him some control of what he wants and I know at least it is more nutritious for him. Teach her how to create a meal and ask her input on what to have with the meal (maybe make a game out of it-which belongs, goes together) If you are really worried you can also suppliment with vitamins. The one thing to remember is a child will not allow themselves to go hungry and unless your child has a medical problem there isn't a lot to worry about.

Also --- remember that you are the MOM and she needs your guideance whether she wants it or not. It is a tough job (at times harder than usual) but it is full of rewards.

Don't you appreciate/understand your Mom more now that are one! LOL

Kids at this age mimmick everything their parents do. Monkey see, monkey do. If they see you eating healthy, they will eat healthy, if they see you eat junk, they will want to eat junk. A 3 1/2 year old knows what they are doing, and if you don't try enough to get her to eat fruits and veggies, you will end up with a very picky unhealthy daughter. I have a 2 yr old and she eats almost everything we give her, because she sees Mom and Dad eat their veggies and other healthy meals. Sometimes she says "yukky" but at least she tastes it and tries it.
Good luck!

My oldest never was one for meals, but we realized it wasn't the foods as much as the aesthetics. So we created what we called "snack lunches." Instead of a ham and cheese sandwich, for example, she would eat rolled up pieces of slices ham, cubes of cheese, and stoned wheat crackers. With a side of grapes or cut-up fruit, it makes a great toddler meal. This continued through elementary school in her packed lunches. Also, we also had real fruit to eat and water to drink. Try to avoid fruit juice since it's loaded with calories and sugar.

J.,

I am a grandmother. I raised two daughters and earned a bachelors degree in child development as I raised them.
One hint I have heard is to only have healthy food in the house. The other food is obviously a great temptation to all of us.
Your 3 1/2 year old is developing autonomy. If you tell her you have these two things, which one would you like, this will give her an opportunity to make her own decision. This will help her grow in the confidence that she is becoming the autonomous little person she is trying to become. This will serve her, you and everyone she meets as she grows into that wonderful person she was made to be.
Allow your child to make the decisions that you do not care about. For instance, you may not care if she eats a banana or an apple for lunch. Give her the opportunity to choose. She grows. You make the decisions you do care about. Do not set her up for hurt and failure by giving any impression that she is allowed to make those decisions. For example, if she sees a chocolate cake in the refrigerator that you have for friends who are coming over for dinner, do not allow her to have that chocolate cake as a choice. Kindly explain, for example, that cake is for dinner tonight. Your friend, Susie, and her family are coming for dinner tonight. We can all have it tonight after dinner. Give her two choices of what she can have or do instead.
If she insists that she have what you do not have or do not want her to have, respectfully and firmly hold your ground. If you give in, it will take much longer for her to understand and believe that you mean what you said. It can be very emotionally painful for you to hold your ground the first time especially. I am a great fan of Susanna Wesley. She raised about 23 children in England. About 18 were her own biological children. She said that it is easier for a child to learn something from you than to learn it in the world when they grow up. The price tag is much higher out there in the world. I have found that the cost is much lower the younger we are when we learn a lesson.
You love your child. Enjoy her. She will be that much more wonderful with your loving boundaries.

Hi There,

I know how you feel about being dog tired. Believe me, I'm no supermom, I'm a TERRIBLE housekeeper. However, I've gotten pretty good at the cooking part of the mama game. The puree thing does actually work for me, although I don't use them for everything. The key is to make a batch or two on Sunday afternoon & put them into meals throughout the week.

Ok, a little tough love. Your little lady is into snacks & that's cool, but you are the buyer/cooker/giver-outer of those snacks. She is not going to go hungry if you don't give her the unhealthy stuff. You could start mixing in the good ones & weaning out the bad ones. Eventually she will be hungry enough to try new things, which will lead to developing a taste for them. This sounds simplistic, but has worked for me. My son is a strapping almost 3 year old who will now try most things. A favorite is whole grain crackers w/ low fat cream cheese & some kind of cut up fruit.

Take care & good luck!

Snacking can be okay. Did you know our ancestors used to eat just about all day long as they travelled. Our habit of three meals a day is only since the introduction of farming. It is what she is snacking on that is the key. If you have junk food in the house, get rid of it. Our family decided to get rid of soda and chips. We do have the occasional pie or cookies on hand for special occasions. I do keep plenty of fresh fruit and vegies and even my spouse has taken to snacking on baby carrots sometimes instead of other stuff. Also I buy the canned fruit packed in its own juice or pear juice concentrate. I serve a fruit salad as desert or as a part of a meal. Fresh fruit when available is also served. I keep lots of lean deli meats for sandwiches and fresh whole grain breads around. Low fat hot dogs. Whole grain crackers with cheese. Peanutbutter stuffed celery. I had friends that came from another country and one of their children as a toddler only ate hot dogs, bananas, and cream of wheat with milk for a long time. As long as she got her vitamins and was growing the doctor was not concerned. It was a phase. She grew up just fine to be a cheer leader, gymnastic star, and just graduated college as a teacher. Even a bowl of oatmeal for dinner is okay. Other things you can get are string cheese, small packages of apple sauce, ganola bars. Even popcorn if it is not salted or buttered makes a quick snack in the microwave these days. Who said you have to cook? If you want sandwiches for dinner then that's fine. A bowl of cereal is just fine too. Salads are prepackaged now and there are all sorts of things at the market that are already in the meat department ready for the oven. If you go low fat, low sugar and low salt you are already heading down the right path. Good luck.

Hi J.,
I have a 4 year old and luckily she's not picky. However, I've learned from other experiences to try to make it fun to eat the veggies and fruits. Try making them into shapes and faces. And have them help you because if they're involved they tend to have fun and WANT to eat it. Try apples WITH peanut butter. If you gradually give them fruits with another food they might end up liking it by itself later. If they have a person they look up to (i.e. family member, celebrity, etc.) try to tell them "Don't you wanna be big and strong like ______" I've done that with my daughter and it works! Good luck and I hope this helps! Have a Blessed Day!!

I bought one of those cookbooks, but I have I used it yet? No. Like you said, you need to have time to make all those purees, etc. I have the same problem. I know one thing that would help is to try and keep the unhealthy snacks out of the house (which is easier said than done, especially if you love sweets), so that if they are hungry, the choices are not so bad. If they know those unhealthy foods and treats are in the house, of course they are going to want them. One thing I always fall back on (and it's going to sound gross) is plain cold Tofu. We buy firm, cut it up into squares and serve it to our kids cold, and they actually like it. They are 4 1/2 and have been eating it since they were a year old. I recommended it to a friend and her 2 1/2-year-old grandson likes it too. As far as snacks go, if she likes sweets and chocolate, try Quaker Mini Delights, Chocolatey Drizzle flavor. They come in little 90 calorie pack bags and are described as bite-sized light crispy multigrain cakes. Really good. When it comes to vegetables, it seems to be hit and miss with us. Sometimes one of my kids will eat them and the other won't or vice versa. Baby carrots are usually pretty well liked, and there's always fruit and yogurt. Get the kid's yogurt with less sugar, and keep grapes, strawberries, apples and bananas on hand. I hope some of these things help you!!

Jennifer, I have found something that, no matter what, I have the confidence that my kids are getting all the nutrition everyday that they need. We all take a whole food supplement called Juice Plus. It provides the nutrition of 17 fresh whole raw fruits, vegetables and grains in capsules, chewables or gummies. I have 4 kids and they all take it in one form or another. My hubby and I take it too. Since we've been taking it, we all get sick a lot less, I am off all my allergy meds and I sleep well every night knowing that we are all receiving a multitude of nutrients into our bodies each and every day. The research done on this product is incredible too. You might want to look into it. I am a rep, so you could visit my website at www.marymortonrn.com or just email me at ____@____.com that helps,
M.

do not buy unhealthy snacks. if you teach your kids that that kind of food is "party food" they will not expect it every day. just do not keep it in the house except for occasions.

My daughter is a "dipping" freak, so I usually par boil carrots and celery and let her go for it, as long as she has dip she is good to go. She LOVES guacamole and salsa to name a few, plus tomatoes and a oil and vinegar mixture with parmigiana cheese works well. I am with you and the "hiding," of veggies, I suppose I could make the time, but good lord she probably would not eat it anyway. She is three and calls herself "princess Amelia," good luck. I also cut way back on snacks if it seems to interfere with actual meals, or they are very small, there are times when I notice she would prefer snacks all day and not eat any meals, so thats when we cut way back, and sometimes it takes a few days but she always resumes "normal eating" because by then she is quite hungry.

stop the snacks & she will eat the healthy food, your the boss not her

My kids got picky at that age too. I made sure I offered a healthy meal and my kids had to take at least one bite of everything. Using dessert as a bribe helped. They didn't want to try the food but usually liked it when they did try it. If the did choose not to eat, I'd offer it again and tell them they were going to be hungry later, then let them make the choice. If they did decide not to eat, I didn't let them eat anything for the rest of the night. This would only happen 2 or 3 times before they started eating at least one bite of everything plus more helpings.
I would also give them vitamins to make sure they got their nutrients.
You could also try ketchup. I have heard that most kids will eat anything if you put ketchup on it. It's worth a try.

It seems as though children are either picky or just won't eat. I have run into that problem, several times, then finally asked myself,"what do I keep in the house?" What's kept in the house is generally what the child may eat. Being a working mom as well I understand the fatigue. With fatigue comes less attention to "healthy eating" and more "just eat this". Sneaking things into food hasn't ever worked for me. If the kids want chips we get vegetable chips. Dried fruit is a big hit. The youngest one looooooooooves cheese so we eat cheese tortellini with spinach that tastes more like cheese than spinach. You don't always need supplements for iron. There's tons in fruits and vegetables. Ever tried giving her a smoothie? It's shake-like and you can disguise almost anything in it. Hope this helps!

Snacking for a 3 1/2 year old very important, because that is how they are able to get nutients throughout the day, assuming that it is healthy snacking. I always give my children snacks all day...ie...cheese sticks, fruits, yogurt, carrots, whole grain toast with peanut butter, raisins, etc. Here is a great quote I live by "Children should not and cannot be expected to make the right choices for themselves, thus they need all of us to help them until the day they are ready for such an awesome responsibility...living disease free."
My kids were picky eaters then I found a great supplement called Juice Plus. It is essentially 17 fruits and veggies in a gummy, capsule or chewable. It is backed by tons of clinical research so I know that it is good for them. It is even backed by well known pediatrian Dr. Williams Sears. For more info about Juice Plus check out www.juicyfruitsandveggies.com Now that my children have been on them for 2 years they eats lots of raw fruits and veggies. It's fabulous.

Hi! I know this will take about 5 min. but I had the same trouble and found milk shake made with flaxseed oil,P.B., Banana,vanilla to taste and your choice of ice cream works put it all in a blender and you can have the bests of both worlds, I make it in the morning and it goes thorough the day at sank time giving energy yet healthy, different fruit works but not so much with P.B. God bless.

Your not the only one! :0) My Daughter went through this as well as most kids I would think! I made it a game! We went to the grocery store (just her and I no other shopping just new foods!)and looked at all of the produce I had her pick out new fruits and veggies! She wanted to know what they were or how they tasted we would smell them and talk about them and TRY THEM TOGETHER!! I started a little chart and marked all the new things she tried every 5 or so we would have a picnic or some kind of lunch to celebrate! It was fun and she felt so imprortant when we had a special picnic just for the 2 of us! I also ate alot of new things in front of her making sure to oh and aahh over each bight insuring that her curiosity would get the better of her. They learn from us so what we eat is what they want! Dips work wonders as well! PB, Ranch, Cheese, Bean Dip, Salsa....be creative and make it fun she will come around. The bigest thing is making sure that you offer her the right foods instead of fruit loops or what have you. Get rid of the worst of it and replace it with dried fruits, nuts, muffins, fruit.....one at a time just stop giving her one unhealthy item and offer something better.

Hi J.,
Have you ever heard of Juice Plus+ Gummies? They contain 17 different fruits, vegetables, and grains (along with probiotics and various enzymes). I started giving them to my children about 2 1/2 years ago (they were 3 years old and 13 months old). They've really helped to shape their taste buds to eat a wide variety of foods. Juice Plus+ covers the whole rainbow of colors we should be eating each day. We're healthy eaters, but I never cook kale, cabbage or beets and yet we eat them each day with Juice Plus+. My girls are now 5 and 3 and they are very adventurous eaters and they'll try artichokes, zucchini, all types of peppers (even grilled jalapenos!).

If you would like more information about them, you can visit: www.JP4GoodHealth.com

The other amazing part about it is it's backed by clinical research journals proving that it gets to your body's cellular level and improves your DNA and brings your immune system into homeostasis.

HOpe that helps!
J.