Creating Fun Foods for Picky Eaters

Whether kids are too busy to settle down for mealtime or they reject a snack just by the looks of it, moms and dads are forever trying to figure out how to handle picky eaters. And, nearly a quarter of kids can be picky about their food. According to a Statista survey, 23 percent of respondents said a child in their household was a picky eater. The following are suggestions for picky eaters, from kid-friendly food to appealing ways to serve it.

1. Make Food Colorful

Catch your children's eyes, and their appetites, by filling their plates with bright and colorful foods. Cut up strawberries and group them next to orange slices, banana pieces, kiwis, blueberries, and raspberries. Then, challenge your kids to eat their rainbows. You can also pique their interest by offering unique color takes on traditional veggies, such as yellow tomatoes, blood (red) oranges, and purple cauliflower.

2. Make Food Fun

Telling a child to "eat your broccoli" can be enough to turn them against the bushy green veggie. But tell your little brontosaurus to take a bite of the baby tree, and they may want to join the fun (and eat a vegetable in the meantime). Milk becomes "moo juice," and spinach is the perfect food for picky eaters who moonlight as bunnies during playtime. Calling a food by a silly name can make for kid-friendly meals for picky eaters while making dinner fun.

3. Shake up the Presentation

The same old food served the same old way can seem pretty boring to a picky eater. Instead of the typical slices of apples and other fruits and veggies, put them on skewers for fruit kebabs. The fun and colorful treat is tasty with grape tomatoes and mozzarella balls for some added protein. Making pizza out of an English muffin can be more fun than a typical slice.

4. Get Kids Involved

Involving your kids in the food-selection process can make them more receptive to different fruits or veggies. Growing vegetables in a garden is the best. Short of that, take them with you on shopping trips and let them choose between the strawberries and blueberries. Or, wheel them to an area with unique vegetables they've never tried, like rutabagas or artichokes, and go through the process together of preparing, cooking, and sampling them.

Pick up everything you need to entice your picky eaters at your local Food Lion!