How do I get my picky toddler to eat healthier?

Joleen posted July 18, 2019

My toddler is a picky eater and I want her to eat more than chicken nuggets and mac & cheese. But when it comes to veggies and fruit, she tends to shut down very quickly and refuse to eat. What are some fun ideas to encourage kids to eat healthier?

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Elli posted July 18, 2019

For breakfast, I like to make healthy quick smoothies and have my kid help. I blend almond milk, bananas, strawberries, and a few chocolate chips (usually 5) so that he feels more eager to drink it.

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Gladys posted July 18, 2019

I usually boil a bunch of eggs at the beginning of the week and give 1 to my kiddo as a snack or part of his meals throughout the week, since he loves eating them by themselves. Then I always precut fruit in the shape of animals to make it fun to include with each of the meals. Overall quick meals that i like to refer to are: Egg sandwiches, noodles with or without sauce with chicken fingers, and broccoli casserole that I prep on the weekend and smother in cheese.

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Bonnie posted July 18, 2019

I've recently had luck with making pastas where I usually chop up veggies into smaller pieces, and then use an organic marinara sauce which covers up the veggie taste! Or blending veggies into purees to make soups... that's been an interesting hit or miss though depending on what the veggie is LOL

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Ellie posted July 23, 2019

I used to make fruit punch with real fruit! On a hot day, my little one and and his friends couldn't wait to get enough! I felt like they grew to l like fruits a lot more, but veggies were a lot harder to train into them..

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Alice posted September 3, 2019

I found trying to incorporate more veggies into my kiddos diet challenging too. However I found a win that most veggies taste better with a bit of cheese! So I usually cut up a whole range of different veggies and then add cheese to it - like when making pizza, pasta or even an egg scramble in the morning.

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Kristy posted October 7, 2019

I love all the above suggestions! Another idea that we've tried is to include our little one in picking out their favorite fruits and veggies at the grocery store. This way it makes them feel more involved and potentially more willing to try new things since it's more fun. Also believe in setting a good example, if children see you eating a wide range of healthy foods then they will be more willing to copy.

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How do I get my picky toddler to eat healthier?

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