Unfortunately for my kids, I'm strong willed too. Their health is very important to me and I firmly believe that the food they eat either helps, or harms them. Here are a few of the ways I
Feed your baby disgusting food.
I'm not kidding. As soon as they are old enough to chew, start feeding them food that you think no kid would possibly eat. I learned this lesson after I only offered "kid food" to Abby for the first 3 years of her life. When Beckham was a baby he ate bowls and bowls full of shredded salmon and mashed peas. For a few months, his favorite snack was dates (fyi, dates look like cockroaches). If you keep this going, they will always be used to eating a variety of textures and flavors. Trying something new won't be a groundbreaking event.
Juice!!!
I bought a juicer last year and the kids are fascinated with it. They love helping me shove fruits and vegetables down the chute, and they will drink pretty much anything that squirts out the spout. Abby is my pickiest kid and she will even drink it as long as she can't see what it looks like. Even if you have to start out small, juice an apple for a while and slowly add some baby carrots to the mix. Try juicing spinach and strawberries, put it in a cup with a lid and a straw and call it fruit punch. The amount of vitamins and antioxidants that are consumed by simply drinking a glass of fresh juice is amazing. Think of it as eating vegetables you don't have to chew. We typically make juice as soon as we are done eating breakfast.
De-junkify typical kid food.
It's hard to come up with new lunch ideas, and I hate cooking in the middle of the day, so I like to have quick options in the freezer. Homemade pizza bites, lasagna rolls, macaroni & cheese, and chili are some favorites. Pick up some hormone and antibiotic free chicken breast and make your own chicken strips. It doesn't even take a 1/2 hour to make a couple of pounds. Is it the healthiest thing in the world? No. But they're much, much better than the "chicken-ish nuggets" that are available at the store. Aim for improvement, not perfection!
Only offer water to drink between meals.
This one is huge. I didn't realize how much drinking juice boxes and glasses of milk killed my kids' appetite. They are more likely to actually eat if they are hungry (complex thought, I know). I bought each one of my kids a stainless steel water bottle. I fill the bottles up every morning, and they carry them around all day. I still give my kids the option of having a small glass of juice with breakfast, or milk with lunch and dinner.
Make a snack tray.
This is a classic Dr. Sears suggestion, and my kids love it. Take a muffin tin or ice cube tray, fill each compartment with something different, and leave it on the kitchen counter where they can reach it. I usually try to do a couple fresh fruits or vegetables, some nuts or seeds, some whole grains, something dairy, and a dip to keep their interest. You might find out that your kid will only eat a strip of bell pepper if they can dip it in applesauce, or a piece of string cheese dipped in peanut butter. Kids are weird like that.
This is what my kids snack tray looked like today: raisins, maple syrup, whole grain cereal, shredded cheddar cheese, strawberries, and sunflower kernels.
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After a while (it could be weeks or months) kids usually become a little more open minded when it comes to eating. My kids aren't to the point of asking for fresh broccoli for an afternoon snack...yet. Maybe we'll get there someday. Maybe. :)
What are some tricks you use to get kids to try new foods? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below!
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