I can with 100% honesty admit to you all that I have the pickiest of the picky eaters. I won’t lie, my meal planning is not reflective of what I put on my kid's plates…that is a choice we all have to make. I made the decision (well, formally) about six months ago, that I am not going to torture myself with the same 5 meals on rotation because I can get my kids to eat a component of it. I’m sure this is going to send some people over the edge, but this is not a battle I care to win anymore. They will eventually grow out of this pickiness, they won’t be 18 and eating dino nuggets at every meal, right?!?!

So for this section, here’s the advice I can offer…

1. Have their favorites on hand and keep it simple. I’m lucky here, I can usually get by with having fresh veggies (carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers), fruit (strawberries, clementines, apples), chicken cutlets, pasta, and mac & cheese. Dinner usually consists of a mix of these items.

   
   

2. Have a list of dinners that everyone enjoys. These I try not to do every week, as the kids can get tired of them quickly, but if you add one of these recipes to your list every week, that’s a HUGE help!

   
   
   

   

   
   
   

   

3. Give new foods a chance: Encourage picky eaters to try new foods by introducing them slowly and in small portions. Don't force them to eat something they don't like, but encourage them to at least try a bite. Over time, their taste buds may adjust and they may develop a liking for new foods.

   
   

4. Put a new spin on some of their favorites. You know that they like chicken nuggets, so start preparing chicken in a variety of ways. Chicken cutlets, homemade nuggets/tenders, marinated/grilled chicken. We were able to make the jump to chicken cutlets and the homemade breaded nuggets/tenders, luckily! This allowed me to add variety to their dinners and we enjoyed the chicken on top of a nice big salad, pictured above.

   
   

5. Get input from picky eaters: Involve the picky eaters in the meal planning process by asking for their input on what they like and don't like. This can help you plan meals that everyone will enjoy. This tends to get breakfast for dinner on rotation every week, but who doesn’t love that?!?!

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is don’t stress about mealtime! Do the best you can with what you’ve got. It’s not worth the headache or frustration. Mealtime should be enjoyable and stress-free. So as long as your child is eating, that’s something to celebrate!

All the best,

Lisa

xoxo