By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

As parents of picky eaters will tell you, getting kids to eat nutritious foods is not always easy. Even if your child (or grandchild) isn’t selective about food, it’s hard to plan and make balanced meals and snacks day after day. 

Maybe you’re not sure where to start when it comes to creating a fresh meal plan that kids will actually enjoy, or maybe you’ve tried a few methods without success. Either way, this post is full of tips for how to get kids to eat healthier foods and build a good relationship with food that will outlast their childhood years. 

1 – Start with the basics of a balanced plate. 

Just like adults, kid need balanced meals to be satisfied and meet their nutrient needs. Aim to include protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates, fruits or vegetables, and healthy fats at meals and snacks. For example, serve lean meats or beans as protein, whole grain pasta and bread, oats, brown rice, or sweet potatoes as carbohydrates, fruits or veggies for additional color and fiber, and avocado, olive oil dressings, coconut, and nut or seed butters for fat.  

Prepare oatmeal with fruit and nut butter for breakfast, bean, cheese, and spinach quesadillas for lunch, and chicken broccoli rice casserole with apples for dinner. When kids eat balanced meals, they’re more likely to feel satisfied and less likely to reach for snack foods and treats to fill up. 

2 – Eat with your children and be a role model. 

Kids tend to emulate the behavior of those around them, especially their parents. This can be helpful when trying to encourage kids to enjoy different types of food. Sit down to eat meals with them as much as possible and enjoy a variety of foods on your plate. Avoid making comments about certain foods, especially calling them unhealthy or fattening, or about what your child is eating.  

In fact, including dessert and other indulgent foods in moderation is a great way to show your kids how to enjoy these things as part of a balanced diet. At the end of the day, it’s the parent’s role to serve balanced meals to children and introduce them to different foods and the child’s role to decide what and how much to eat. 

3 – Add some creative flair to foods. 

If you want children to be more receptive to healthy foods, have fun with them! Call broccoli florets “trees,” make oatmeal-based pancakes into smiley faces, or use a crinkle cutter to cut carrots. Prepare mini foods, such as sandwiches, fruits, or veggies cut into hearts or stars, homemade sweet potato tots, or veggie-loaded chicken nuggets. You can even add a tiny spoonful of sprinkles to foods like yogurt or oatmeal if it gets kid to eat them. Serving foods with a dip is always fun too! 

4 – Involve your children in shopping and cooking. 

Raising a healthy eater starts at the grocery store! If your child is involved in the very first steps of preparing a nutritious meal, they may be more likely to try it. Point out the fruits and vegetables you’re using in a recipe while you’re at the store, talk about how they look, feel, and taste, and let your kids choose them off the shelf. Better yet, have your kids pick out a piece of produce all on their own to add to a dish or try as a snack. 

The fun doesn’t have to stop there. Try to involve your children in some of the recipe preparation, even if it’s just simple, age-appropriate tasks. Kid-friendly kitchen activities include putting away groceries, washing fruits and vegetables, adding smoothie ingredients to the blender, stirring batter, or even chopping foods with safe knives meant for children. As kids get older, they can help with measuring ingredients, whisking eggs, filling muffin trays, and grating cheese. 

5 – Capitalize on familiar foods. 

Children like routine and familiarity in many aspects of their life, including food. If your child is a bit adverse to trying new dishes, consider adding extra veggies or healthy ingredients to foods they know and love.  

Blend squash or other yellow and orange vegetables into mac and cheese sauce, bake muffins with grated vegetables or fruits, swap regular pasta for legume-based options, or add beans to taco meat. If your child doesn’t like carrots or cucumbers on their own, try serving them with a creamy dip. Adding a sprinkle of milled flaxseed, chia seeds, or hemp hearts to sandwiches, quesadillas, yogurt, or oatmeal is another good way to boost nutrition. And don’t forget about smoothies and soups as vehicles for more produce!  

6 – Keep exposing them. 

Kids may need to be exposed to a food several times before enjoying it. Some research suggests that toddlers may have increased acceptance of certain foods after 8 to 10 exposures. So, if the first few (or several!) times that you introduce kiwi or broccoli to your child don’t go well, try again. You can prepare the same food in different ways to see if that makes a difference. But remember, kids may not like certain foods even after lots of exposure. It’s normal for them to have preferences, just like adults. 

7 – Give them autonomy in making their own plates. 

If you allow your children to choose what foods to put on their plate at meals and snacks, they may be more open to including healthy choices. Give them a few options within food groups, including at least a couple each of proteins, carbs, and fruits or vegetables, and allow them to pick what goes on their plate. At first they may only go for their favorite foods, but over time the other options will become more appealing. Plus, if you’re offering choices for each food group, they’ll likely build a balanced meal even if they don’t pick every food. 

8 – Try muffin tin meals or snacks. 

Serving foods in a muffin tin is a creative way to make mealtime fun and expose children to a variety of choices at the same time. It’s visually appealing to see all sorts of foods in different cavities next to each other. Plus, adding an unfamiliar food to a muffin tin may take the pressure away and make kids more likely to try it. 

Just like when you’re planning recipes for the family, aim to have a protein, healthy carb, healthy fat, and fruits or veggies in the muffin tray. If you have some open cavities, add a fun surprise like a dessert or snack food that you don’t usually serve. A balanced muffin tray may include cheese slices, yogurt dip or hummus, sliced strawberries, steamed carrots, black beans, coconut flakes (something fun and different!), pretzel thins, and a cut-up brownie. Refill the tray as needed throughout the meal, and be sure to build your own plate from the offerings to model good eating behavior! 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Inspiring young eaters to enjoy healthy foods starts with what’s on your plate. If you want the kids or grandkids in your life to see you eating well but need help making balanced meals that include a variety of foods, check out our menus!