Offer fruits and veggies as snacks

This week’s Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: Offer fruits and veggies as snacks.

Henry has just started to eat one snack per day. We don’t have snack every day, but when we do I skip the baby puffs, crackers and cookies. Instead, I offer Henry fruits and veggies. 

Henry munches on an apple at snack time.

For older kids, designate a “snack box” in your kitchen and give them unlimited access. Your family’s snack box might be a large fruit bowl on the counter or the vegetable bin in your refrigerator. Empower your kids to choose whatever they like from the snack box.  

Be sure to keep your snack box stocked with several fruit and vegetable choices. Regularly rotate in new options with the seasons. Prepare ready-to-go bags of carrot, celery, cucumber or bell pepper sticks. You can also offer dips such as yogurt, guacamole, peanut butter, Nutella or hummus.

Henry snacks on radish and carrot slices.

If your kids always have fruits and vegetables readily available as snack food, they’ll become accustomed to eating them.