[Netherrealmer]

Many children today became obese or malnourished because their parents gave in to feed them what they want instead of what they need. While your child is still a toddler, They don't really care much about the flavor of the food. This is not a solution to already picky eater children as I have a different article for that. This is a preventive action so your child won't be picky. Toddlers eventually become picky eaters once they started experiencing textures and flavors that they end up liking and their parents keep giving them that flavor instead of making the child explore all flavors.

1. Do not introduce junk foods yet. The toddler stage is an early development stage. Candies, processed meat and high sugar sweets can distract them from nutritious food. My toddler niece eats a lot of vegetables but all change when her mother introduced her to hot dogs at age two. Now All she wanted to eat is a hotdog. If you want the child to eat something sweet, give the child fresh fruits instead of candies, cakes and bottled drinks like Soda and commercial juice. if you want the child to eat meat, introduce fresh meat instead of processed meat.

2.Do not serve the same dish everyday- If you feed the child the same meal everyday, It will lead to either 2 of these nightmare scenarios. The child will hate that food and not want to eat it anymore or it will be their favorite and not want to eat anything else. You have to give them different dishes everyday so they won't get tired of something and they won't have a preferred favorite.

3.Bland is grand We feed toddlers to help them grow and be healthy. Most of the most nutritious food are bland. on the first three years of a child's life... Do not introduce super tasty food yet that is bursting with saltiness and umami. Don't add too much sodium ,MSG and sugar on their food yet. Sodium and sugar is the reason why people are addicted to fast food.

4. Diversify their plate on every meal with minimal amount .


Toddler plates have divisions on it so you can feed the child varieties of food so they can explore different flavors of food. This develops the child to be open minded to eat anything you serve them. Do not give a child an overwhelming amount of food. That leads children to refuse finishing their meals. Just give them minimal amounts and let them snack once in a while.

5. Do not give the child those toddler tables. The picture below, do not buy that.....

I know they look cute and charming but do not buy those things because you are making the child not want to eat not next to you. This is base on my personal experience but it is better to buy a high chair and make the child eat where the parent eats. Children who eats on the same table with their parents eventually eats what their parents eat.

6. Don't get mad if they don't want to eat. Yes we wanted them to finish their food but this is a working progress. If you scream out of anger, they will refuse to eat more. Eating time should be fun and not a challenge.

7. Serve the food differently on each meal. Let's say today the child will eat apples sliced into wedges. Next time they will eat apple again, slice into thin skinny sticks.


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Bonus.... This is the Youtube channel Food oddities. It is one of the oldest Youtube channels out there. The kid on the videos is now a teenager. This child was raised perfectly by his parents. He is not a picky eater.

He eats all kinds of vegetables like seaweed and soybeans



He eats Seafoods like squid.


He eats all kinds of meat, including offals. On this video he cooks a dish made of pork blood and organs. He is not grossed out and he is open minded.


Because his parents raised him to not become a picky eater, He have the better nutrition balance than most kids.

[Margareth1993]

Just like of my son, I am having struggles for the food he would eat. He only eat banana and papaya for fruit aside of that he can't swallow feels like all inside of his stomach will go outside. This article would be a great help. Hope it would works.

[augusta]

That junk food is very true kids tend to pick real food when they start eating junks,they will always prefer junks that's right.

[Margareth1993]

Yes, just like of my 5 year old son, He rather choose to eat junkfoods rather than fresh food.

That junk food is very true kids tend to pick real food when they start eating junks,they will always prefer junks that's right.

[chikitta]

This is a great article, and i totally agree with you on this. Introducing kids to junk food earlier in life is a really bad mistake, they will never appreciate the healthy foods you give them thank you for shedding a light on this.

[Netherrealmer]

One more thing.....


Most American kids hates Broccoli.


Most Asian kids loves Broccoli.


Americans parents introduces steamed broccoli or raw broccoli to their kids.



Asian parents introduced Broccoli stir fried with beef/pork/chicken shrimp (any of those) in oyster sauce.



Then American parents will wonder why their kids hated broccoli. First impressions last.

[kat82]

Don't get mad if they don't want to eat

This is one of the disturbing moments in life - when kids don't want to eat. I remember, they used to force me eat against my will. The same I do to my kids. In fact, I just learnt that I should sometime leave them decide. Great recommendations!

[Twentysix76]

I can relate to this, I had a 5 year old son , I did not let hom eat to much junkfoods and candy. He is used on eating vegetables and I disciplined him not to choose food tjat is served on the table instead be thankful for the food that is served to him.

[Netherrealmer]

One more thing, Kids hates large chunks of vegetables. They appreciate thinner and smaller slices.

[cmoneyspinner]

Uuhh … define “picky”. LOL.

Most people won't have 11 children like I did. So they won't get to see that the kids who are “picky” get all of their food eaten up by the other kids who are not “picky”. It become a matter of survival of the fittest.

Overall, most of my kids ate whatever was on the plate. I had a few who were kind of fussy, but I made sure they ate enough of the necessary foods to stay healthy. Sometimes I got creative on how I fed the food to them. Put it in drinks. Bake it a bread. Mix a food into a another favorite food to mask the taste.

My kids are all grown up now and they survived! Guess I did something right.

[Netherrealmer]

Most kids will be disgusted to eat octopus but I end up being a lover of octopus. My parents served me octopus in a way it dont look like octopus anymore. Instead of serving me the whole thing. Presentation is always key.

[cmoneyspinner]

Most kids will be disgusted to eat octopus but I end up being a lover of octopus. My parents served me octopus in a way it dont look like octopus anymore. Instead of serving me the whole thing. Presentation is always key.

Presentation is definitely key. When I was an adult, my boss at my first professional job, took me to lunch and she ordered the octopus. I did not like the way it looked and so ... no octopus for me! To this very day! NO octopus for me! You want people to eat certain foods? Whether kids or adults you better make it look appealing.

[theresajane]

Wow! These are super helpful advices. It is true thatost parents would want their children to taste what's good as we love them. But, in order to avoid this situation of being picky, your advices can surely help.

[Netherrealmer]

Most kids will be disgusted to eat octopus but I end up being a lover of octopus. My parents served me octopus in a way it dont look like octopus anymore. Instead of serving me the whole thing. Presentation is always key.

Presentation is definitely key. When I was an adult, my boss at my first professional job, took me to lunch and she ordered the octopus. I did not like the way it looked and so ... no octopus for me! To this very day! NO octopus for me! You want people to eat certain foods? Whether kids or adults you better make it look appealing.

first impressions last to children and if you gave a child a bad first impression to a food they wont eat it forever.

[Abigael]

I have a niece who is a selective eater. I think it is because my sister introduced her into junk foods so early. I will make sure to follow this advice when I will be a parent.

[Netherrealmer]

I have a niece who is a selective eater. I think it is because my sister introduced her into junk foods so early. I will make sure to follow this advice when I will be a parent.

My sisters children are also turned into picky eaters who only eat processed meat. Yes aside from hating veggies, they hate home cooked meal. They only like processed meat. They wont even eat a stew or a soup.

[mer_liva]

this was really helpfully and i'm going to keep this in mind when dealing with my children

[Netherrealmer]

I can relate to this, I had a 5 year old son , I did not let hom eat to much junkfoods and candy. He is used on eating vegetables and I disciplined him not to choose food tjat is served on the table instead be thankful for the food that is served to him.

Meanwhile I have a nephew who gets what he wants no matter how unhealthy because my mom spoiled him. Now he is the unhealthiest teen I know.

[Emmaojo]

Most kids will be disgusted to eat octopus but I end up being a lover of octopus. My parents served me octopus in a way it dont look like octopus anymore. Instead of serving me the whole thing. Presentation is always key.

you're right in that aspect because I hate a food that does not give a nice look let alone nice smell. It will just spoiled the whole food for me

[nela13]

I have no problems with this, my kids eat every kind of vegetables and fruits, broccoli, turnips, beets, kale, cabbage ... they eat soup every day and there are no sodas in my house. Sometimes when they say they don't like something, I use to say: this is to eat not to like it and they end up eating everything.