Have a picky eater on your hands? Here's what you should know...

By Annie Friedman

              Hey Moms, have a picky eater on your hands? Don’t give up on what to feed them. There are plenty of things you can do to help make breakfast, lunch, and dinner more enjoyable and less stressful.

Avoid foods your child doesn’t like: Many children don’t like foods that are mixed together like casseroles, so try making the foods separately so your child has more to choose from. Avoid unusual foods, especially spicy foods, which many children don’t like.

Pick your battles wisely: The key to having a picky eater is to not make a big deal about what your child eats. Making your child eat something they don’t like or sit at the table until their food is gone only creates more battles.

Make sure you’re giving your child the right amount of food: On average, toddlers need 1000 to 1300 calories a day. The right portion sizes can be found on the USDA’s food pyramid for kids. Be practical about how much your child eats but don’t expect them to eat the same amounts of food each time.

Serve a variety of food so you don’t limit your child’s food choices: Make each meal interesting by serving different foods at each meal. Do some research and look over different recipes and food options for each meal. Everyone has their favorite foods, but don’t let your children be limited to eating macaroni and cheese at every meal.

Get your child involved with grocery shopping and preparing meals: Your child will be more excited about food if they are involved in their food choices. Let your child help prepare their meals and show them the different options that your grocery store offers.

Always take into account what your child likes and dislikes: Make a list of what foods your child likes and dislikes and then see if there are any patterns. For example, some kids don’t like certain textures or food groups so work your grocery list around their likes and dislikes list. Take the foods your child likes and build your meals around it.

Make meals fun by being creative: Get creative with your meals and make them kid friendly. For example, cut sandwiches in fun shapes or make pancakes into Mickey Mouse. Be creative and make dishes fun to eat.