This post, 5 Ways To Get Your Picky Eater to Try New Meals, is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Oroweat Organic Bread.
Let’s go back to 1989, when my mom would try to have me eat new food as a kid and all I wanted to eat was anything that had cheese in the name. Can anyone relate to this? I was so picky, and if I am being honest I am still a little picky. There are certain things that I just do not like to eat and it seems like my kids are the same way. So I have worked hard to be more open to trying new food and being an example to my kids. I am sure many other moms are in the same position.
We got this awesome box of goodies and I was so excited to try something new and fun with the girls. I love food and bonding with them over delicious and healthier foods that we all turn out to love is the best feeling! They even included these Disney’s Mickey and Minnie Mouse bread cutters for the girls to cut off the crust! My girls never want their crust, so this was already a serious win in my home! We decided to make some delicious peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I love offering my family organic options. It is something I can feel good about when they eat their meals. Let’s get right to my 5 hacks to help you combat picky eating and to get kids excited about trying something new.
- My biggest mom hack is offering the kids a plant-based meal. I switched out regular white bread for Oroweat’s all new Oroweat Organic White made with Whole Wheat. Want to know a secret? They couldn’t even tell the difference! This bread even has Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on the packaging. My girls got so excited about that. Do your kids love those characters too? It also has tons of other benefits. It is soft and smooth in texture, and includes multiple vitamins like A, D, & E. It is also freshly baked using renewable wind energy.
- Another way for me to get the kids to try new things is to show them that I am willing to try them as well. They love to take a bite with me at the same time. It is important to be an example for the kids. If we can’t show them how easy it is to try something new then it will be hard for them to get excited about the new food. Every time I take a bite with them we celebrate. Kids will celebrate anything and this is definitely a cause for celebration wouldn’t you agree?
- Suggest an activity that you can do together once they have tried something new. It could be as simple as sitting together on the couch. If your kids are anything like mine, they will love the opportunity to have one-on-one time with you. If that does not work, suggest doing their favorite activity with them. For example, Arie would want me to go outside and throw the football with her. This is a way to reward them positively for doing something that is outside of their comfort zone. It also makes them feel really happy and we all know that happy kids make a happy mom too, right?!
- I love to add fruit to meals. This may sound simple, but you do not need to do something complex to entice kids to eat something when fruit is included. My girls absolutely love fruit and eat it every single day. They eat bananas multiple times a week and love to include blueberries and strawberries with their meal time. For this meal, we went with peanut butter and banana sandwiches. By adding the addition of bananas the girls were much more excited to try the new bread.
- Include the kids in the kitchen. This can be as simple as letting them spread peanut butter on their bread with spoons and then adding the banana slices to the bread. The girls love to feel like they are helping me no matter how small the task. I have also found that when they make their own food they are much more willing to try something new. I get to remind them that they made their food and they should be proud of themselves and enjoy it!
These 5 hacks will truly help you during mealtime. We are so fortunate as parents to have so many amazing tools to help us make mealtime more exciting for kids. Especially since we have been having to be much more creative this year. So, stop fearing the picky eater and embrace the challenge. Head to the store and grab some Oroweat Organic White Bread made with Whole Wheat and let them help you create their next snack or meal. Kids love to be included and they also love to spend more quality time with us. Mealtime does not have to be hard, we can make it easier for us and our kids by utilizing these hacks. Happy kids, happy mom!
Until next time,
XOXO Meg
