Our friend’s daughter went through a “white period” when she was 5. All she would eat was pasta, rice, chicken, and other colorless foods. This went on for 2 years, nearly driving the poor woman crazy. But as kids will often do, she snapped out of it one day by eating sushi (sushi!). Just like with potty training, it can take a good amount of patience and creativity to get kids to break eating routines. To help, we’ve gathered ingenious ideas that just might persuade even the pickiest eaters to pick up new foods.
Build on what they love. Our friend’s daughter liked white rice, which is sushi’s main ingredient. In retrospect, it wasn’t that big a step.
Make it fun. Sushi is food entertainment. Contrast that with the congealed pea soup you’re serving. Try “planting” little broccoli trees in the mashed potatoes or using cookie cutters to shape the meat loaf into stars.
Mix up meals. Serve bacon and eggs for dinner or pizza for breakfast. Breaking a kid’s general eating habits might make him more adventurous with specific foods.
Ditch the silverware. Have a dinner where everyone eats with chopsticks, toothpicks, sporks, or fingers. And why stop there? Trade the dinner table for a living-room picnic.
Downsize dinner. Make your little guy feel grown up by creating a miniature meal. Serve little burgers, hot dogs, or sandwiches on small plates, along with mini carrots, drinks in shot glasses, and tiny napkins. Make believe you’re giants.
Serve a lavender lunch. Put a few drops of natural food coloring in milk and macaroni-and-cheese. It’ll carry the lesson that looks are deceiving.
Use star power. If your daughter is a Hannah Montana fan, point out that Miley is a vegetarian. Or if your son likes dinosaurs, tell him many of them ate lots of green things.
Hire a sous chef. Involving a child in the cooking process often inspires them to eat what they’ve made. For fun recipes, try Cooking Rocks! Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids.
Create a story around the food. That’s not whole-wheat linguine. Oh, no, no, no. Those are rare Peruvian earthworms that, when eaten, make you invisible between the hours of 7 and 8 PM.
Talk through food. Keep some alphabet noodles in the fridge and put messages on their plate. “Try this!” or “It won’t kill you!” If you make them laugh, they will have already opened their mouth.
Cut a deal. Tell your finicky one that you’ll take a bite of your most loathed food (lima beans?) if they also sample theirs. Grimace together.
Be persistent, but don’t nag. Even if you exhaust this list of suggestions with no luck, keep at it. Studies show that you may have to introduce new foods 10 times before fussy eaters accept them. And try not to get frustrated in the process. Researchers at Penn State found that the pickiest eaters were the ones with moms who pressured them most.
She's a very picky eater, among her other problems she had oral aversions when she was younger. It was so bad she gagged if you showed her a Cherrio. Thanks to the hard work of the fabulous therapists at The Children's Institute she's eating better now but she still doesn't eat much. Her doctor told us to give her instant breakfast shakes. She likes the strawberry and chocolate but won't drink vanilla. So to use the vanilla up I started giving her half vanilla and half chocolate or strawberry. If we're out of strawberry and that's what she wants I'll give her milk with strawberry sauce and vanilla "shakeup" as my daughter calls them. I accidentally put in a little more than I usually do a few nights ago when I was making one for her. The next day when I was getting her one she said "Make it like yesterday, that was good!"l 
lol I said "You liked it like that?" "Mmm, it was yummy!" lol Now she asks for them like that all the time. I also pour a little bit into her breakfast cereal and mix it up good so it disolves into the milk. She hasn't noticed that I do that...yet. 
Deception is an art that should be mastered by all parents. 
lol This is a good tip for anyone who wants to sneak a little more nutririon into their kids' diets. You can also add it to milkshakes. The brand we buy (it comes in a yellow box 
) has recipies on the packets to make shakes with fruit. I've had them myslef for snacks, they're pretty good!
I will definately be trying the babyfood idea in his spaghetti.
Shes a very picky eater, among her other problems she had oral aversions when she was younger. It was so bad she gagged if you showed her a Cherrio. Thanks to the hard work of the fabulous therapists at The Childrens Institute shes eating better now but she still doesnt eat much. Her doctor told us to give her instant breakfast shakes. She likes the strawberry and chocolate but wont drink vanilla. So to use the vanilla up I started giving her half vanilla and half chocolate or strawberry. If were out of strawberry and thats what she wants Ill give her milk with strawberry sauce and vanilla shakeup as my daughter calls them. I accidentally put in a little more than I usually do a few nights ago when I was making one for her. The next day when I was getting her one she said Make it like yesterday, that was good!l 
lol I said You liked it like that? Mmm, it was yummy! lol Now she asks for them like that all the time. I also pour a little bit into her breakfast cereal and mix it up good so it disolves into the milk. She hasnt noticed that I do that...yet. 
Deception is an art that should be mastered by all parents. 
lol This is a good tip for anyone who wants to sneak a little more nutririon into their kids diets. You can also add it to milkshakes. The brand we buy (it comes in a yellow box 
) has recipies on the packets to make shakes with fruit. Ive had them myslef for snacks, theyre pretty good!
Decadent (yet smart!) desserts
