Top food "mistakes" parents make

When my first child was born I really didn't want him to be a picky eater so I started with veg's not fruit as didn't want him to get a taste for sweet right away. What ever I made for dinner was what he ate. If we had black eyed peas and corn bread so did he. Didn't give him things I didn't want to battle about when he was really little like hot dogs, french fries or potatoe chips. Oat meal not frosted anything for breakfast If we went to lunch we did not get fast food. He had a sit down lunch of real food and learned manners at the same time. Have four kids none of whom are picky eaters. Going to the farmers market and getting veg's made them more excited to eat them and so did putting them in the kitchen at a early age. By the time they were eating where there was more junk food (school and their friends house) they had already learned to like good food.

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I was blessed with two boys: one with Aspergers that used to eat five things (yogurt, macaroni and cheese, strawberries, PBJ and applesauce) and a neuro-typical one who is so adventerous he ate seaweed salad and sushi at age 4. When the pickier one was about 7, I decided I was not going to make different meals for everybody so I devised a plan that involved the foundations of learning to like any new food: 1) a young body needs from 5 - 10 bites of a new food to become accustomed to it. Our adult pallets are experienced enough that we know what we like after one bite, 2) our emotions and memory are tied together so make dinner a nice and happy time with music or jokes or funny stories of your day 3) bribery does work if done correctly (they have to be bribed with something that matters to THEM and it has to be immediately given as positive reinforcement) for my sons soda pop was made a part of the meal if we were having something new and they could have the pop if they ate their age + 1 in bites of the new food. I made them try the new food on their first bite so it wouldn't be cold and their pop was gone by the end of the plate. Then they could move on to something else on their plate and we all sorta kept track of the bites. Remember, dinner needs to be mostly a nice, fun time not a big fight. If they didn't want to eat the new food, then no soda--but, soda mattered to my kids so it was what worked. My oldest is now 15 and eats whatever is placed in front of him without complaint and has since he was about 11. Both kids are thin, healthy and happy.

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The problem is making food an issue - period. I cooked dinner every night - my child could eat any, all of it or none and there was no discussion one way or the other. If she went on a food jag and only liked one thing - fine, why not if its healthy? She tired of it soon enough if there was no comment and was curious to try what we were eating. Like she heard from playmates, she "didn't like fish" - but her favorite meal was "chicken of the sea" (swordfish) and "Trudi soup" (fish chowder). Fruit, real juice and raw veggies were always available and she could have as much of those as she wanted, whenever. We rarely served dessert. At a certain age she begged for candy bars and I always said fine - she'd eat one bite and then I'd find the rest put down somewhere. Again, I made no comment. Today she eats no candy and doesn't drink soda. She never ate at fast food places or had take-out for dinner and for her 7th birthday wanted to go to McDonalds. I told her beforehand I didn't think it was very good food but we went- she never wanted to go again. She is now an adult and the most adventurous eater, likes many foods she never had at home - all kinds of fish, odd vegetables, spicy ethnic foods, etc. and eats extremely healthy foods. Why create an emotional involvement with food - or turn mealtimes into a nightmare for all concerned?

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I'm lucky my 2 year old eats everything we eat. Always willing to try something new. I ate really well during my pregnancy and I carried it over after I had her. So what she see's on our plates she wants on hers. I give her a choice and she can tell me what she likes and dislikes but 99.9% of the time she will eat what ever we give her. I guess we are lucky not to have a picky eater. How may 2 year olds do you know request salad and green beans with a side order of corn?

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i have a perfect solution. start when they are a few weeks old and give them a few bites starting out of mashed peas and other more grown up food. then this way, by the time they are 2, they are what grown up food is and won't be as picky. i stated to eat mashed pototoes and peas, and other stuff like that, i am not picky.

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i know i forget to put a letter in one of the words. so sorry in advance.

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i don't think the eat until your plate is empty is good cause that can lead to weight problems and the child possiblr filling not so good because they ate to much. as long as they eat enough to feel fill, that should be fine

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i am a firm believer that "children learn what they live". i feel very lucky. my daughter loves her sweets, but when it comes to eating a meal, she likes anything green. her favorites include broccoli, green beans, peas,salad and beets. she does not care for starchy foods like pasta and only sometimes likes rice. she is not a big bread eater either. when we go to the grocery store, instead of heading to the bakery for a free cookie, she will usually ask for an apple. so we pick one out and pay for it, then shop while she eats the fruit. she has always been fascinated with the pretty colors in the produce area. so we have always talked about how yummy it all was. not all is perfect... her favorite meal is still pancakes. lol.. but she eats enough of a variety that i dont worry about this. she is a petite and healthy 4 year old (will be 4 in december) and weighs 30 pounds. her doctor says she is perfectly healthy.

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I too make my kids eat what I serve and clear their plates. I don't serve stuff that I know they abhor. I don't serve quantities that are unreasonable. But I decide what we're having and how much they are eating.

I serve veggies first so they are hungry when they get them, and motivated to finish them so they can move on to the entree. I also choose veggies that are "superfoods" so they don't have to eat a huge quantity to get enough nutrients.

If they lack motivation to finish the food on their own, I shovel the last bites in. If I see them really struggling, I will help them eat the last bites, but this rarely happens.

My kids eat a variety of foods, including almost everything I eat. (They are going on 2 years old.) We all go to a different restaurant every Friday, where they try new things, but I also bring enough snack food (e.g., dry cereal) in case there isn't anything appropriate for them to eat in quantity.

I have a kid who is naturally chunky despite a controlled diet. She doesn't care to move around much, either. At about 17 mos, I started a daily ritual of going for a walk after dinner - usually for about an hour every evening. We live in a hilly area so this is really good exercise for them. I also have them outside playing, climbing, hiking, etc. for most of the morning.

I find that my kids really like doing whatever I'm doing. So if I'm treating myself to healthy food and exercise, it's not difficult to get them to enjoy it too.

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