If you have a picky eater in your family, you know that eating is quite frustrating. We all have had a situation when we prepare a delicious food (or we thick it might be), and we spend hours in the kitchen hoping to surprise the kids, and when we sit at the table, the child does not want even to try it. A real challenge is to plan the meals for the coming week when trying to satisfy only the picky eater taste. This is restrictive and stressful.

We all want our children to be healthy and eat balanced meals. It takes a lot of patience to “convince” our picky eaters to try new foods.

Here are our 10 tips for how to get picky eaters to eat:

Give an example: Children look at what parents do. It is important to show them that eating vegetables can be enjoyable. Always serve vegetables when you sit together to eat. Talk about the food you serve, tell what you like about it. When you put the vegetables on the table, instead of saying, “You should try at least one bite of these broccoli,” say, “Here are some delicious baked broccoli I prepared for you!”

Include them: Take your children with you to the grocery store. Let them choose one or two products that they would like to have for dinner. Involve older children in cooking. They will be proud of the food they have made and are much more likely to try it!

Make Food Fun: Little kids will be more likely to taste new foods if you make a nutrition game. Encourage them to pretend to be dinosaurs who have to eat all the trees (broccoli) or leaves (spinach) on their plate. Cut the sandwich into small bites like the soldiers. Use vegetable brushes for painting. If they melt them into humus, they will draw interesting things with them. Show them that eating can be fun.

Arrange the food in funny forms: While adults prefer food to be mixed and flavored, most children prefer simplicity, with a simple taste and divided into piles. Try to create smiling faces or different shapes with vegetables to make their plate more interesting.

Apply the One-bite rule: Many studies show that children should be offered a new meal 8-10 times before they accept it. Follow a meal policy: Your kids should try at least one bite of the new food you served. But do not force them. If they do not like the food, do not punish them by pouring out a whole lecture or by starting to look angry. Smile and tell them that next time you will try to make it differently. Try again in a few weeks.

A new meal: Make each dish include a new vegetable along with foods that you know your children love. You can help them try new things by offering them foods they know you. Serving unfamiliar food along with the foods they love is an acceptable choice for them. So they will not feel overwhelmed.

Motivation: Try a reward system by giving them a point or sticker each time they try a bite of food they do not like. Put a dashboard in the kitchen and mark the points you collect to show them their progress. When you reach a certain amount of stickers, you can reward them with a small new toy or favorite food.

Explain why food is important: Do it in a way that your children will understand. Instead of saying, “This food is healthy for you,” say, “This food will help you grow big and strong.” Children are more likely to taste new foods if the result is something they want.

Small bite food: Your child may be frustrated when served a large portion of food. Cut the food into bites and you will be surprised how much he will eat!

Food on the table: Put on the table what you have decided. Do not offer only foods that your child likes. It will not grow and develop. Always put bread on the table. If anything else fails, he will eat bread. Do not allow free access to the refrigerator. Let him wait for the next meal.

With a little patience, imagination and support, you will gradually be able to introduce new foods into your frightening child.

And what are you doing to get your kids to try new foods? Share your experience with this post to help other parents who are in this situation. Every experience is valuable, and every shared experience – invaluable!