Things I Tell My Picky Eater to Get Him to Eat

My son is a picky eater. For the past two years, he has subsisted mainly off of peanut butter sandwiches and milk. It has been extremely frustrating and, though I know he won’t go to college just eating a handful of foods, my life would be a lot easier if he would eat whatever I’m cooking for the rest of the family. He recently turned four though, and I am starting to see a light at the end of the picky-eater tunnel (knock on wood!). Seeing his 18 month old sister be adventurous with food has definitely made him more open-minded. It still takes a lot of convincing to get him to try a new food, but we have had many successes lately. I thought I’d share with you how I have convinced him to try new things in case it helps out other moms of picky-eaters.

Everything Steak :: My son loves steak, but one day started refusing other proteins like chicken and pork. We started calling them “chicken steak” and “pork steak,” and he started eating them again.

Green Apples :: He likes Skittles, so green apples became “Green Skittle Apples.”

Veggie Rotini Pasta :: At first my son wouldn’t eat any pasta other than spaghetti. He plays so much with the spaghetti noodles that it takes him forever to eat. When I first introduced veggie rotini pasta, he refused to eat it because of the color and shape. He refused that is until I told him the pasta was “Ninja Turtle Screws.” Now he gobbles them up.

Veggie Penne Pasta :: After he got used to rotini, I started making penne which became “Ninja Turtle Swords.”

Carrots :: Once we told him that eating carrots would give him super vision, he was on board. Now every time he eats a carrot, he impresses us with how far he can see.

Magic Orange Juice :: Like many toddler moms, we deal with constipation in our household. My son wouldn’t drink prune juice, so I mixed half a cup or prune juice with half a cup of orange juice to create “Magic Orange Juice.” The orange juice disguises the taste of the prune juice brilliantly, and he loves it.

Broccoli :: The only way I can get him to eat broccoli is to pretend to be the broccoli by using a silly, Mr. Bill type of voice when he is eating it. I pretend to be scared that he is going to eat me and beg for him to not eat me. This cracks my son up as he eats the broccoli.

Flax Waffles :: My son always begs for chocolate chip waffles. I prefer to buy the flax waffles for him, but since he doesn’t eat syrup on his waffles, they can be pretty bland. His favorite treat at Costco is a churro, so lately I’ve been putting cinnamon on the waffles and telling him they are “Churro Waffles.” He’s been loving them.

Moms of picky-eaters :: what creative tactics have you used to get your kids to try new foods? Please share them with us! 

Marie
Marie is the owner of Little Hometown, a company specializing in locally themed baby swaddles and apparel. Prior to opening her business, Marie was a professional event planner turned stay-at-home mom. She spent nearly a decade living in New York City, where she met her husband, Jeff (a New England native). Early in their relationship, Marie told Jeff that New Orleans is the only place where she would want to raise her children. As soon as she got pregnant, they started shopping for houses. They moved back in December of 2012, welcomed their son in 2013 and their daughter in 2015. Marie now spends her days entertaining her kids with silly songs, desperately attempting to stay organized, and balance her life as a work-at-home mom.

1 COMMENT

  1. This is HYSTERICAL! I have a 12 year old that is a picky eater. I am sure none of this will work for him, but I also have a 2 year old, so I may try when she becomes picky! Thanks for a good laugh!

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