THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY GENERAL MILLS BUT THE CONTENT AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN.
These days, my four-year old is very particular about what she wants to eat. If it was up to her, she would interchange between oatmeal and cereal for every meal.
What do you do when your toddler is a picky eater?
I GIVE MINE CEREAL!
At our last doctor’s visit, my four-year old was declared healthy.
This eased some of my mom fears about the lack of variety in her diet.
If she eats cereal all day, I know that I have to sneak in other things throughout the week, but it doesn’t make me a bad mom for giving in to her desires!
Cheerios (in all flavors) is a staple in my house.
I love that Frosted Cheerios is packed with whole grains and now Gluten Free!
These days, my four-year old is very particular about what she wants to eat. If it was up to her, she would interchange between oatmeal and cereal for every meal.
On the days that she is feeling adventurous, I try these tricks to make sure she gets the nutrition she needs:
Puree Veggies Into Their Favorite Foods
I love a good mom hack as good as the next mom. One of my favorites is pureeing veggies into my kids meals. I’ve pureed spinach into her lasagna and squash in curry chicken. The trick is to not overdo the veggies so that it changes the color or flavor of the food.
Toddlers tend to want the same things, so if the appearance or taste is different, the food is off-limits.
Vitamins
Vitamins come in all shapes, colors, flavors and consistencies. This helps with picky eaters.
There’s a vitamin for everyone! If your child loves gummy candy, try giving them gummy vitamins instead of the hard ones.
Introduce a New Food at Least 10 Times
I’m sure you read this in a baby book somewhere, but the advice still applies. Just because they didn’t try squash the first 5 times doesn’t mean they will never try it. Keep introducing it mama!
Your child will also be more apt to try a new food if they see their family eat it. I can’t tell you how many times my kids have tried something new (years after the fact) straight off my plate.
Invest in Cookie Cutters
Cutting sandwiches into your child’s name, or favorite character can be a lifesaver! This also allows you to incorporate education into their food.
Turn your Food into Art
We like to make words and numbers with Cheerios. Since my children are two and four, they are very interested in numbers and words. They get so tickled when they see their names spelled out in cereal!
What has helped you conquer the battle of your picky eater?
