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Picky Eaters: 10 Proven Tips to Get Your Toddler To Eat

Updated February 17, 2023

Toddlers are notorious for being picky eaters.

Are you looking for ways to get your toddler to eat more food?

Do you need a list of toddler meals for picky eaters?

You are not alone!

We faced the challenge of having picky toddlers who wouldn’t eat.

 

toddler meal ideas

 

This can be very frustrating for parents, particularly the first time around.

There are ways you can help your toddler learn to eat more foods and stop being so picky.

There will always be toddlers that eat everything.

My brother and sister-in-law’s toddler eats anything.

But it is far more common for toddlers to refuse to eat many foods.

We are sharing proven strategies that have helped us with our own picky eaters and hopefully will help you too.

Though infrequent, there can be times when these strategies don’t work.

In that situation, it is important to consult with your pediatrician.

Before we jump into the 10 tips, it is important to understand what can cause a toddler to refuse to eat certain foods. It may not be taste-related.

The cause of picky eating may also be related to mechanics, color, and/or texture.

There can be other reasons for food refusal but those are the most common.

We found that if our toddler was tired or had missed a nap, mealtime was going to be miserable for all of us.

 

What causes picky eaters?

Mechanics

We always want to remember that toddlers are making a major transition from breast or bottle feeding to eating solid foods.

This involves learning to eat using utensils. This can be very frustrating and is certainly not a reason to be upset with your child.

Learning to eat with utensils is a steep learning curve.

Using utensils requires coordination and the development of fine motor skills.

It should be no surprise that your child may resort to picking up food with her hands. (Which is fine! Let your toddler eat with their hands.)

Being patient is extremely important.

Learning to eat with utensils can cause your child to prefer one food over another.

Always try to make your child’s food easy to eat with utensils so the transition to using a fork and spoon will not be too challenging.

Aside from taste, mechanics is just one factor that may contribute to a toddler’s food likes and dislikes.

 We found the best utensils for little hands on Amazon.

 

Food Color

Yes, simply the color of food can be a factor when it comes to picky eaters.

Whether it is the result of not liking a particular color or associating the color with another food your child does not like.

Try to always keep in mind the types of foods you are introducing into your child’s diet and mix up the colors.

Remember that bright colors are particularly stimulating and will likely get more attention.

 

Toddler Picky Eaters green beans

 

 

Food Texture

In the same way, think about food textures and try to make meals that have a variety of textures.

The texture is an issue for many young children!

 

The Importance of Bridging Foods for Toddlers

Once you have worked with color, texture, and taste, another tactic to add variety to your child’s new experience with solid foods, is to “bridge” foods.

Bridging foods is the process of introducing new food that is similar in color, texture, and (when possible) taste.

This may not be something you have thought of and it will take some time to plan out the foods that go together best.

One example is squash and pumpkin.  

 

10 Proven Tips to Get Your Toddler To Eat:

1. Consistency:

Consistency is very important to toddlers.

Consistent bedtimes, bath times, and mealtimes help your toddler know what to expect at dinner time every night.

Having the same routines and rituals at mealtime will help the whole family be more peaceful and less stressed.

Fewer feelings of overwhelm and stress can help reduce power struggles over food choices.

Let your toddler be involved in mealtime preparation. Let them help set the table.

Allow for a 5-minute warning and transition from playtime to mealtime.

 

2. Make mealtime relaxed and fun:

When I was little I was a very picky eater. Super picky.

Here is the thing, I really didn’t like many foods.

Forcing them on me didn’t help at all.

I still remember mealtime battles and so many of those foods did not become something I enjoyed until early adulthood.

Dinner time was often stressful for me as a young child.

That memory has stuck with me.

I still won’t eat chicken salad or egg salad, but I’ll eat chicken cooked in other ways and I love scrambled eggs.

I share that story so hopefully, you’ll work to make mealtimes relaxing and fun for yourself and your toddler.

Some ideas to make it more relaxing and fun:

  • Use small cookie cutters to cut up fruits and veggies into fun shapes
  • Have a picnic or cookout
  • Cut sandwiches into shapes (This worked the best for our picky toddlers!)
  • Eat in the family room in your PJs while watching a movie
  • Praise immediately when your child tries a new food
  • Use non-food rewards like a sticker chart
  • Grow your own food or visit a farmer’s market
  • Some children may not eat a vegetable that is cooked but will consume it raw or vice versa. Try preparing it in different ways to see if a certain method is preferable.
  • Offer fruits and vegetables with a dip or yogurt
  • Camp out in the backyard and cook dinner in foil packets on the grill.

Have patience, remain calm, and don’t make a big deal out of it if they refuse to try new food.

Just keep offering the foods in different forms, and different recipes in a calm relaxing way.

 

3. Model good food choices:

Make healthy food choices for yourself. Your toddler learns about food choices by watching you.

Eat fruits and vegetables for a snack, and enjoy a salad with dinner.

Even if your child doesn’t like certain foods, watching you eat them, and seeing them on the table without being pressured to eat them, can be enough to get them to try them on their own.

We have found that meals like a simple grilled chicken salad with raw vegetables or fruit is a meal our picky eater will happily eat.

We do our best to model healthy food choices.

 

grilled chicken salad for picky eaters

Image: HHB Media inc

 

4. Serve the least liked food first.

Introduce new foods or foods they don’t like first.

You may need to introduce a new food several times before your child is even willing to try it.

Make sure you offer new foods first.

You can offer a small amount of new food and a portion of food they like if you find that gets them more likely to try the new food.

Pairing Foods:

Pair foods that are often eaten together but are at opposite spectrums.

Sweet and sour or salty and bitter.

Pairing can also be used to introduce less desirable foods into a toddler’s diet.

Consider that vegetables often have a strong and off-putting smell and taste to toddlers, but your toddler might be more willing to eat them if you pair them with milder or sweeter tasting vegetables like potato or sweet potato.

This involves combining a portion of food that your child likes with a food that is often pushed aside.

The biggest thing to remember is to not make a big deal if your child doesn’t try the new food.

That will only encourage power struggles and tantrums.

Reintroduce the food another time and don’t make a big deal out of it.

 

5.  Make Food Bite-Size:

Cutting up the food into small bites can make your toddler more likely to try new foods.

Think finger foods for picky toddlers.

Bite-size and easy to pick up with little fingers.

Don’t overwhelm them with a large portion of a new food or a large portion of food they do not like.

If they find they like it, you can always give them more.

 

6. Offer choices:

Toddlers want to feel like they are in control and independent.

Pay close attention to the types of food your toddler will eat.

If your toddler prefers softer foods to crunchier foods, offer her choices of new foods with similar textures and tastes.

Your toddler is more likely to try new foods when they feel they have choices.

 

7. Focus on foods they like for the main meal:

The times our kids have been most willing to try new foods have been when the main meal was something they really love.

Looking back to my own childhood, it was the same.

Food is such an important part of our lives and experiences, the more positive you can make it, the more likely your toddler will be to try new foods.

When I was small I loved cheese.

I hated broccoli until the night my mother served broccoli with cheese sauce.

From that night on I loved it. So try to combine foods they like with the new foods.

That can help them form positive associations with the food.

 

8. Let them, help cook:

It is a great idea to get your toddlers involved in meal planning and cooking with you!

Show them the weekly ads, let them help choose the meals for the week and shop for the ingredients.

Allow your toddler to cook with you.

Let them add ingredients and mix things together.

It is a great opportunity to have a small bowl of fruits or veggies and dip to snack on while you cook.

Let it be light and fun.

I always turn on music in the kitchen and make sure my kids see cooking as a fun and positive experience.

 

 

9.  Don’t threaten or punish your toddler for not eating.

Threatening, spanking, or sending your child to bed without dinner isn’t going to solve their picky eating issues.

It might help you feel better and vent off anger or frustration at the situation, but it does zero over the long term to help your child learn to enjoy all types of foods.

I was a picky eater until my early 20s. I

know it frustrated my parents, but the punishment didn’t make me like the food.

It made meal times stressful and not enjoyable for me at all.

Relax, take a deep breath, and realize ultimately this is a phase.

Your toddler will come to enjoy a wide variety of foods over time.

 

10.  Ask Your Toddler To Take Just One Bite

As with most “new” things in life, trying just one of almost anything is usually better tolerated.

This applies to children as well as adults.

More often, when something new is not forced, it is more likely to be accepted.

Let your child be in control of whether she wants another bite.

 

Toddler Meals For Picky Eaters:

We’ve talked about what can cause picky eating in toddlers and 10 tips to get your toddler to eat more foods.

But figuring all that out is going to take some time.

If veggies are the problem most of the foods below are perfect for adding hidden veggies!

Here are some simple toddler food ideas that picky eaters usually like too:

  • Pizza
  • Homemade Apple Sauce
  • Baked Apples or Baked Pears
  • Baked Oatmeal (Our kids devour this baked oatmeal recipe!)

 

 Baked Oatmeal

  • Pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie
  • Potatoes – Baked, Mashed, Boiled
  • Quesadilla
  • Scrambled eggs
  • Pancakes and Waffles

Waffle Sandwich

Waffle Sandwiches are another great way to get your picky toddler to eat

 

  • Homemade Graham Crackers
  • Vanilla yogurt and granola
  • Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries (cut up into little pieces) – You can sometimes sneak some chopped cucumber (without the seeds) in with the strawberries.
  • Turkey and cheese or ham and cheese mini roll-ups
  • Mini-Muffins (Blueberry, banana, sweet potato, coconut, and cranberry are usually good choices)
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Spaghetti and Meatballs
  • Hummus and Veggie Sticks
  • Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip and Cut-up Fruit

 

Fruit and Peanut Butter Dip

 

We recently updated this article to add the dr. Praeger’s products.

I can’t believe that we left them out originally!

Our toddlers would gobble these up with zero complaints.

It was pure luck that I found this out too.

I had finally decided that I was going to once and for all drop the weight I had gained after having kids and had gone on a low-carb diet.

while shopping I came across dr. Praeger’s products in my local Sprout’s grocery store.

I decided to try the broccoli cakes at they were low in carbs and I thought might help satisfy my cravings for high-carb foods like french fries.

It turned out that not only did it satisfy my cravings, but my toddlers and young kids also LOVED them.

I serve them as a side with scrambled eggs or chicken dishes usually.

I’ve tried most of the dr. Praeger’s frozen veggie patties now and each one has been a huge hit with our kids.

Pro-tip: Serve them with a side of sour cream for dipping.

If your toddlers like ketchup or fry sauce (ketchup and mayo mixed together) that works great too!

You can get dr. Praeger’s products at Sprouts, Kroger, Whole Foods, and Target.

Walmart carries a few varieties of dr. Praeger’s products too.

 

Toddler meal ideas that our picky kids have actually eaten:

I’m all for showing the reality of feeding a picky eater.

These are some realistic toddler meals I have made that my kids would eat.

Mini Blueberry Muffins, Greek Yogurt, Strawberries

We have good luck chopping strawberries and cucumbers into pieces and mixing them in with the yogurt.

Cucumber is mild tasting and pairs well with strawberries.

You can add some pureed vegetables to the muffin mix.

 

 

Cheese Quesadilla, Fruit, Tomato, Tortilla chips

A cheese quesadilla is a good choice for sneaking in some hidden veggies.

You can spread pureed vegetables on one side of the tortilla, put cheese on the other side, fold it over, and grill.

You can do the same thing with a grilled cheese sandwich.

 

toddler meal ideas

 

Turkey and cheese sandwich, strawberries, apple straws

We have found that cutting foods into shapes (like the heart below) made our toddlers more likely to eat the food.

 

toddler meal ideas

 

Try Breakfast foods for lunch or dinner!

My picky toddler would eat waffles, and homefries and I could usually sneak in a side of fruit or even. a veggie.

 

toddler meal ideas

 

 

Pot Roast, Au Gratin Potatoes, Cooked Carrots (Slow cooked with the pot roast)

Our kids like meat and potatoes. I found that I could get our picky eaters to eat cooked carrots by cooking them with the meat.

 

Toddler picky eaters

 

These are muffins that our picky eater toddler has LOVED.

They have hidden spinach in them.

But shhh… your little ones will never know!

 Banana Spinach muffins

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

Recipe:

Course: Snack, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time:  35  minutes

Servings: 15 Muffins


Ingredients

2 ¼ cups Old-Fashioned Oats or Oat Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Baking Soda

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

½ cup Coconut Sugar (or your preferred sweetener)

½ cup Almond Milk

2 cups Spinach Leaves

¼ cup Coconut Oil

2 Large Bananas (Extra-Ripe)

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla


Spinach banana muffins

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375º F /190º C and grease or line a muffin tin.

Step 2: To make our flour, put 2 cups of old-fashioned oats in your blender and blend until the oats achieve the texture of flour. Skip this step if you already have oat flour.

Step 3: In a mixing bowl, add the out flour and the rest of the dry ingredients (ground flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar).

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

Step 3: Mix until well combined.

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

Step 4: Add almond milk to the blender followed by 2 cups of spinach.

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

Step 5:Blend together until completely smooth.

Step 6:  Then, add bananas and coconut oil and blend until smooth. Then add vanilla and eggs and blend until well combined.

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

Step 7: Pour the blended mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients and stir to combine.

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

Step 8: Fill each well in your muffin tin with ¼ cup of batter.

 

Spinach banana muffins

 

 

Step 9: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when touched.

Final Step: Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

 

green spinach bannana muffins on a light peach plate

Your picky eaters will gobble these muffins up!

I’m a big believer in hidden vegetables in toddler meals when dealing with a picky eater.

You should still keep offering them new vegetables and fruits to try, but don’t be afraid to sneak in some veggies for nutritional purposes.

 

 

 

Dealing with a picky-eating toddler is one of the most challenging issues you can face as a parent.

It doesn’t have to be a constant worry or battle though.

We hope you found our suggestion helpful.

Having dealt with several extremely picky eaters, we get it.

But it is important to remain calm and try a variety of food options and combinations with your toddler.

If your toddler likes to eat raw vegetables a good way to transition them to eating more cooked vegetables is to bake the vegetables like carrots for only a short period of time so they maintain their crispness and flavor.

Consistency, patience, and making eating fun will go a long way in helping your picky eater enjoy more food.

 

What is normal picky eating?

Picky eating is very common for toddlers and is usually a normal stage of development.

A toddler may be picky about certain food textures such as crunchy or soft, flavors like sweet versus salty, and temperatures – hot versus cold.

You can try mixing up flavors, colors, and textures they will eat with new foods they haven’t tried or foods they have not liked in the past.

It’s important to note that most “picky” behavior will ease with time and there are lots of strategies you can use to encourage your toddler to try new foods and develop a healthier relationship with food. 

One key strategy is to introduce a variety of healthy foods at an early age, including vegetables.

You can also make meals more enjoyable by involving your toddler in the cooking process or having them help prepare their own plate.

It’s also a good idea to serve meals without distractions such as the television, toys, or games.

Offering encouragement and praise when your toddler does try new foods can help them become more adventurous with their eating habits.

And, modeling healthy eating habits is also an important part of helping your little one develop healthy eating patterns. 

 

What to read next:

 

Authors

  • Doug Penta MD OB/GYN

    Dr. Doug Penta, MD - Co-Founder of Maternity Comfort Solutions Dr. Doug Penta, is a seasoned Obstetrician and Gynecologist with over 38 years of practice, co-founded Maternity Comfort Solutions to provide evidence-based pregnancy and parenting information. A Boston University alum and former Clinical Professor at Harvard, his articles on Maternity Comfort Solutions offer expectant mothers invaluable nutritional insights.

  • Sue Winters RN

    Sue Winters, RN - Co-Founder of Maternity Comfort Solutions Sue combines 20 years of nursing with a rich background in early childhood education. Co-founder of Maternity Comfort Solutions, her articles provide creative toddler activities and practical tips on pregnancy nutrition and baby shower planning, embodying her commitment to supporting families through early parenthood.

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