Brought to you by Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD for Dr. Praeger’s

Picky eating is a normal part of development. While frustrating, it’s not a need for concern. A recent study published by Pediatrics found that once picky eating makes an appearance in 4- to 9-year-olds it can become a habit! Here are six easy ways to prevent or overcome picky eating.

1. Let the Kids Pick

Start by allowing your child to help you source the food: whether it be gardening, farming, or simply helping you pick out which apples and carrots to use for the week’s snacks and dinners. Showing kids how to choose their fruits and vegetables encourages their curiosity and furthers their knowledge of where food comes from, what it smells like, and how it feels in their hands.

2. Try Small Portions of New Foods

Instead of introducing a new vegetable or fruit in a large heap or side dish, start kids off with smaller amounts. Try chopping the vegetables up in small chunks or strips and letting kids’ sample. Or try fruits at breakfast with fun kid-approved foods like pancakes and waffles. By starting off with smaller amounts of food, kids won’t be overwhelmed with new items on their plate.

3. Don’t Ditch the Dressing

Do your little ones love ketchup, BBQ sauce, or a special salad dressing and put it on EVERYTHING? Try introducing a new food with a side of their favorite sauce, dressing, or topping. Allowing them to dip and play with something new and familiar gives them more control over how and what they are eating.

4. Have Fun with Food

Remember to incorporate playfulness when trying something new. Introduce foods in fun shapes and let your child touch and explore the new item. Dr. Praeger’s Littles® come in a variety of shapes (think dinosaurs and barnyard animals) and flavors. In addition, each portion of their Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, and Sweet Potato Littles® includes a whole serving of veggies, so your littles will have fun falling in love with veggies.

5. Make Meal Prep Fun

Kiddos want to feel included. By adding them to the process of meal prepping on Sundays, snack time during the week, or nightly dinners, they can learn as much as they can be entertained and introduced to new forms of food. Let them crunch on a raw carrot before cooking them or let them feel the seeds inside a pepper as you scoop them out.

6. Lead by Example

Remember this will take practice and patience from everyone involved. Show your little ones how much you love to eat your favorite fruits and vegetables. The more they watch you lead by example, the more normal and routine it will become.