Tigris Isabella

...picky eaters? I have twin boys and they are starting to try different foods and decide for themselves what they like and don't like. I've worked at a daycare before and remember trying to deal with the picky eaters and I would like to avoid that with my children if at all possible.

So, do you have any suggestions on how to make sure my children are healthy, non-picky eaters?

Thanks!

Tori

Some kids are just picky by nature. There isn't a lot parents can do about those kids. But most kids aren't if it's not accepted to be picky-- if they don't have people cater to them in that way. My parents were firm- eat the meal, show respect for the cook, and if you absolutely don't like it you may have yogurt or cold cereal (believe me, not the sugary kind) only.
This worked well, as most things taste better than cereal and yogurt.
My sister and I are both healthy eaters at age 24 and 26. You are on the right track by caring about healthy food in the first place.

Zachary's Mom

Model it... eat healthy and a big variety.

Dew

I got my kids to eat vegetables by letting them dip it in ranch dressing,this works for meat also!

heart o' gold

Set an example and eat lots of different types of things, experiment with new things and make it as fun and tasty as possible.

When I was a kid, mom was being super budget minded and we ate lots of weird things. It helped that she became a really good cook over time. I remember eating octopus stew - it's really disgusting looking and it didn't help that mom's sense of humor included stuffing a tentacle part way up her nose and telling us it was a booger, then expecting us to eat the soup. I remember a whole boiled beef tongue being plopped onto a platter in the middle of our table, taste buds and everything. We had tofu and spam...and all this is not to mention the macrobiotic food we ate alot when my dad was still around when I was very young.

My point is, my adult brothers and I are very unfussy eaters, we are all great cooks, will taste just about anything and make up our own minds about things we will and won't eat. We are also all very healthy eaters and very healthy people. And we all hate spam.

JesusLuvr6

Make it fun to eat healthy! Such as call celery ants on a log and put peanut butter and raisins on them. But respect their choices if they dont like something dont force them of course! But truthfully making eating fun is what a lot of kids like. If you dont feel like doing something really crafty come up with an eating game of some sort! hope that helps!

despierten

My mom used to trick me into eating fish by saying it was chicken. But it only caused me to freak out when I saw the clear bone of the fish.

My dad on the other hand would occasionally treat us to a pack of Marvel Collector Cards if we ate string beans that night.

Other than that, I would just accept how your kids eat. I really never liked vegetables at all until when I grew up and my friends made fun of me for not eating veggies.. Sad to say friends have bigger influence than parents sometimes.