Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: Give them what they love

This week’s Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: Give them what they love.

As I mentioned yesterday, Henry is mad about mushrooms. He searches through the other food on his tray to find them and then happily munches away. Bell peppers are another of Henry’s current favorites, so we try to put these into frequent rotation.

Henry ponders a strip of red bell pepper.

A 2012 study found that kids really do have favorite vegetables. Corn tends to be a favorite among boys and broccoli is chosen most by girls. About half of the kids in the study even preferred the same vegetable that their mom liked best.

Other research has looked at the fruits that kids desire most. You might be surprised that a 2008 USDA pilot program suggested that strawberries were the favorite fruit for school kids, while a 2009 program in Montana schools revealed that pineapple and apples were favorites.

If your child really likes certain fruits and vegetables, provide them with frequent opportunities to eat those varieties. If your daughter loves berries, stock up when fresh berries are in season and buy frozen berries during the colder months. If your son loves fresh carrots, plant a few extra in your garden and prepare ready-to-go bags of carrot sticks for his lunch box.

Henry tries out raspberries from Grandma's garden.

Don’t assume your kids don’t like fruits and veggies. Ask your kids about their favorites, and then focus on giving them what they love.

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