How to Get a Picky Eater to Expand His or Her Palette

It can be difficult to get picky eaters interested in colorful and hearty fruits and vegetables. Some kids are naturally sensitive to different textures, tastes, and smells which can cause them to be quite hesitant with a variety of foods. We have elaborated on a few different tactics that you can try to help make sure your picky eaters are getting in all their fruits and vegetables for a healthy, balanced diet!

Try blending fruits and vegetables into a smoothie, a cheese sauce, or a red sauce to disguise them with foods that kids are already familiar with and enjoy. You can also disguise cauliflower or mashed potatoes for pizza crust. Hiding new foods in familiar dishes will gently expose kids to flavors of vegetables without making them feel like they are being forced to try something new or eat food they don’t like. 

Make the whole family part of the food decision-making process and encourage kids to try one new fruit or vegetable each time you grocery shop. This gets them excited about finding new foods that they enjoy while also exposing them to different healthy foods that they are unfamiliar with. This can be a great way for parents to learn new recipes and cooking skills as well! 

If your little is super curious, try cooking with them. We, at EATS, have found this to be the absolute best tactic to get kiddos to try new foods. When kids cook, they feel a sense of ownership over the food that they make and a sense of pride when they finally get to try it. This isn’t necessarily a foolproof way of getting picky eaters to like new foods, but it will at least get them to try a bite and expand their palette. 

Whether your family is so picky you need to disguise foods, or they’re adventurous enough to cook with you and branch out, we hope you enjoy spending time with family and making new memories surrounding food. Bon appetit!