While working as a pediatric dietitian for several years, I’ve seen hundreds of picky eaters. I’ve also seen the stress that picky eating brings to the table.

Picky eating can be common for young children and typically peaks between the toddler and preschool years. During this phase you might find what your child loves to eat one day, turns into something they refuse to eat the next day. Picky eating can result in a lack of variety and nutrients in a child’s diet and can become problematic as they get older. Although it can be a very frustrating process, know that there are several things you can do to help overcome it.

Below are eight tips to help your picky eater:

1. Be a good role model: I put this as number one because children are always watching what their parents are doing. When working with families sometimes I’ll hear the words “gross” or “yuck” out of a parent’s mouth when talking about certain foods. Do you think hearing language like that from a parent will help the child try new foods? Of course not. That’s why it’s important to set a good example of what healthy eating looks like, try new foods with them, and avoid using negative language when talking about food.

2. Offer the same foods for the whole family: Instead of making different meals for everyone and being a short order cook, offer one meal and let everyone choose what parts of the meal they want to eat.

Ellyn Satter calls this the “division of responsibility in feeding” which includes:

· The parent is responsible for what, when, and where food is served

· The child is responsible for how much and whether they eat

3. Make healthier versions of the foods they already enjoy: I’m a big believer that you can make any food healthier. Offering your child’s favorite foods but just in a healthier version can help avoid some of the picky eating stressors. Does your child love pancakes? Try making a healthier version like this. How about smoothies? Try adding spinach to them to get in some vegetables.

4. Let go of the pressure: When we pressure children to eat certain foods it can cause a disliking of the food later on. This make sense considering most of the time when we are forced to do something, we end up wanting to do the exact opposite. Avoid rules and phrases such as the “clean your plate” or “just eat two more bites.” You can always save the food for them to eat later on.

5. Add some flavor: Vegetables and fruit can be boring when we eat them alone, so adding some flavor with healthy fats and spices can make a huge difference. Try adding grass-fed butter or organic cheese on top of vegetables such as broccoli or zucchini. Dip apple slices or berries in nut butters such as peanut butter or almond butter. Add spices such as garlic, Italian or lemon pepper to green beans and carrots. There’s a variety of ways you can add some flavor to foods your child might not care for.

6. Continue exposing: Our taste buds are continuously changing, and sometimes it takes 10-15 times of trying a new food before a child will start liking it. So just because they didn’t like broccoli last month, doesn’t mean they won’t ever like it. It’s important to keep exposing children to certain foods to allow their taste buds to adjust to the taste.

7. Avoid using rewards or punishments: Telling your child they can have dessert if they eat their vegetables only puts dessert on a pedestal and gives the impression that vegetables aren’t as good. Offer non-food rewards such as a movie night, stickers, or a trip to the zoo.

8. Get children involved in the prep work: Studies have found that if you get a child involved in the prep work such as grocery shopping or cooking, it can help increase the likelihood that they will eat the foods served. So next time you’re at the grocery store, let your child pick out a new vegetable or fruit to try and have them help you prepare it. This not only helps with picky eating, it also helps teach them healthy cooking skills that will last a lifetime.

Do you have a picky eater at home? What have you found to work best? Comment below!