Does your daughter push away more than she actually eats? Does your son move food around his plate in an intricate vegetable shuffle? If your child suffers from picky-eater syndrome, here are eight ways to help him broaden his culinary horizons.

1. Ask your child to try just one taste

The threat of having to eat an entire portion of any food is daunting. Promise your child that all you require is a single bite. If, after trying a new food, she still insists that it’s not going to be on her menu, you simply accept that statement with a nod.

2. Reintroduce foods periodically.

Many kids have to try a food several times before developing a taste for it. Continue to offer those vegetables without forcing your child to eat it. Eventually, she might just acquire a taste for more of them.

3. Be a role model

Let your children see you enjoy a wide variety of foods. Even if you don’t push them to try it, they will see that sauteed broccoli or green beans can be delicious. Scheduling family meals helps kids watch the adults in their family enjoying lots of different types of foods.

4. Try foods in different forms

Your daughter turns her nose up at potassium-rich bananas? Try a chilled fruit soup or a smoothie milkshake with bananas and yogurt. Some foods, that aren’t so appealing in their natural state, can take on a whole new appeal when "repackaged" to suit kids’ tastes.

Recipes to try:

**Summer Fruit Soup

**Frozen Fruit Smoothies

5. No snacks right before meals

If you want your picky eater to eat the dinner you’ve prepared, don’t give in to requests for cookies and milk late in the afternoon. If kids are hungry, there’s a far better chance that they will eat more of the meal that you place in front of them.

6. Let dinner be a special family-focus time

Think of dinner as a chance for quality time rather than a chance to focus on the food your selective son eats. There will be less pressure on him to please you and more emphasis on sharing the details of his day.

7. You child can help prepare the meals

Allow your child to help prepare meals or set the table. Now they are more involved in the meal entirely and may chose to eat more courses.

8. Know the amount of food your child really needs

Often, we think our children require more than they truly do and when they say that they’re finished, they usually are. Kids don’t need to eat as much as adults. We should take our cues from them and stop eating when we feel full. Learn nutritional guidelines and that may also help curb the need to push second helpings.

Mike Dodd is a Father of 3 boys and is very healthy-eating conscientious.

More can be learned at:

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