Merely serve the meal without comment. Of course, if your child is a picky eater, holding your tongue can require a lot of restraint. But your child will benefit in the long run if you don't harp on his eating habits throughout the meal. Your mom may have rewarded you for cleaning your plate with a bowl of ice cream after dinner, but that just taught you that veggies were the punishment and dessert was the reward. Remember that ultimately, your child is the one in control over what he puts into his body.
Children are amazingly good at self-regulation.
They may eat almost nothing one day, and then the next day they eat a ton of food. So, pull up a chair, relax, and try to enjoy your meal. If you do, your child will, too. Read all comments. Add a comment or read what other parents say.