Parents should provide a selection of healthy foods at meal and snack times. It's better to ignore the behavior and wait until the next meal or snack time to offer more healthy food. Parents can also use creative strategies to make food more appealing. If your child likes milk shakes, yogurt and fruit may be blended into a healthy shake. Vegetables may be disguised in a casserole or hidden in macaroni and cheese.
Many toddlers like to help prepare meals and enjoy eating what they have made.
Keep portions small, and try to have a variety of healthy foods available. Parents who are concerned about their child's eating habits should discuss the problem with their pediatrician. For most toddlers, this picky eating stage is a normal part of development, and one day they will probably outgrow it. In the meantime, parents should try to avoid struggles over food and keep mealtime pleasant. The content on these pages is provided as general information only and should not be substituted for the advice of your physician.