It’s pretty common – normal, even – for children to be picky eaters. Will your keiki ever eat more than toast and bananas? These tips from Hawaii moms can help.
I encourage my children to try foods they’ve never had before. My rule is they need to try it before they decide how they feel about it. I also incorporate a new food into something they already like. My daughter didn’t like the way kiwi looked, so I cut it up and served it with fruit she likes.
– Linda Muramoto
Keep offering the foods they don’t seem to like and eventually their tastes will come around. Talk with your spouse about how yummy a new food is and show that you enjoy it with “mmm” sounds as you eat.
– Michelle Okimoto
You can’t bribe or force your kids to eat. I present healthy options and let them decide if they want to try it. If they don’t want what I’ve made, they can have a healthy substitute. But they have to prepare it themselves and clean up afterwards.
– Cindy Spreg
My kids have to try something at least a couple of times in different forms – raw, cooked, in a sauce or soup – before they decide how they feel about it. If they don’t like it at all, I reintroduce it later. If nutrients are the big issue, I put vegetables in a smoothie or mix it in a meal. I don’t hide it from them. I tell them that I put the vegetable in there and they’re usually surprised that they couldn’t taste it.
– Nicole Okamura
My line with a smile is, “You don’t have to like it, you just have to eat it. Try it 15 times before you say you don’t like it.” It also helps to introduce the craziest vegetable dishes after their sports events and after they bathe when they’re starving. I get no complaints then.
– Heidi Taam
