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Try Fun Game Plan For Finicky Eaters

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 13, 2008

Camouflaging nutritious veggies in globs of cheesy sauces? Not in my house! After thousands of meals cooked for five children, I've been able to avoid doctoring food to make it appeal to finicky eaters by following a few iron-clad rules.

Younger children will eat almost anything if there's a game involved, so a meal of tamari-marinated tofu, brown rice and broccoli can be transformed into a landscape of boulders, pebbles and trees. My two oldest daughters, now 14 and 12, still remember our family's vegetarian dinners when they were toddlers. My youngest daughter, 3, now expects every bowl of oatmeal to have a smiley face made of raisins.

Lead by example and make sure that you're eating the same things they are. You'll only need to do this for a few years while you're modeling good eating habits, unless, of course, you lean toward french fries and chicken nuggets.

Once the "No!" phase has passed, you can avoid fighting by asking a child to choose between two potential meals. Having children take greater control over the process sometimes makes them more willing to eat. But presenting options to just one child opens the door for complaints.
Michael Sanders of The Boston Globe

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