May
12

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Glams,

Never in a million years would I have imagined that I would be the mother of a toddler who is an extremely picky eater. I’m talking about a son who clearly thinks that he will grow all big and strong from simply eating spaghetti & meatballs, a ton of rice and an array of colorful fruit snacks each and every day: Yes, that’s my son.

My husband often jokes that it is the result of me “sticking to the books” when it came to raising him and never allowing him to even taste solid foods until he was old enough to actually properly swallow it. I totally disagree, but again, everyone has their opinion!

His lack of an appetite, or shall I say an appetite that lacks variety, has been a constant sense of frustration for well over a year now. However, I’ve finally accepted the fact that this is just the stage where he is now and that he is getting some form of a balanced diet in the midst of the limited selection that he chooses to satisfy his hunger.

As a glam mom who cares, I figured that there are tons of other moms who are struggling with the case of the “Toddler Food Snob,” so I decided to round up my top five tips for dealing with the picky eater in your life.

Serve Them What They Like
Don’t be afraid to continue to serve them the foods that they actually enjoy. I’ve found that it’s perfectly ok to serve my son spaghetti & meatballs two times a week if that’s what he enjoys eating. Moms, never fret, they are getting their nutrients.

Be Patient With New Foods
When you do decide to try out new foods (and you definitely should be doing this) take your time. Don’t expect that they are going to like everything that you offer them on the first go-round. The key is to offer them small bites and not just once or twice. Oftentimes you are going to have to serve it to them several times before they even attempt to give the food a try.

Surround Them With Other Kids When Going For A Test-Run
What’s worked with me is offering up my son new foods when he is sitting down for lunch or dinner with his younger cousins. This technique has served me well as I’ve found that he is more likely to try foods when he sees those in his age group experiencing and enjoying certain foods. This is definitely one of my favorite tips.

Make Eating Fun
Sometimes changing up the look of a new food may help with the transition. Whether it’s creating Mickey Mouse pancakes or offering up tons of colorful selections, make the idea of eating new foods fun.

Realize That Your Child Will Grow Out of This
I know that as we are in the thick of this, we feel like we are doomed to raising a child who would rather eat pizza than lamb chops, however, you have got to comfort yourself in the fact that this is a phase and your child will grow out of it. As hard as it can sometimes be to deal with this, take comfort in knowing that this is just yet another way that your child is truly unique. Again, they will eventually grow out of this phase.

Glams, are you dealing with a picky eater? What are some of your tips for staying sane while navigating during this interesting time?

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• food, Motherhood, Picky Eater, Toddler Tips