Tips for Picky Eaters

Think back. Can you remember foods you refused to eat as a child? Chances are those food aversions were real and not a way to exert power over your parents. Realize that your preschooler may truly dislike many foods at this time in his/her life. And since many of your own early food dislikes may be favorite foods today, be confident that your preschooler will eventually welcome more foods.

Wait it out. The picky eating stage usually ends or gets significantly better. While you wait, continue to offer healthy foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and low-fat meat and dairy products. Stick to planned meal and snack times when possible. Serve preschooler-sized portions of a variety of foods at each meal and snack.

Make the foods your preschooler does eat a little healthier. Make a list of foods your preschooler will eat on most occasions. There are probably small changes you can make to those foods and meals to make them a little healthier. For example, pancakes can get a nutrient and fiber boost by using whole-wheat flour or adding other whole grains such as oats. If your preschooler loves bread, use spreads such as avocado dip or hummus to add extra nutrients. Pizza is the favorite food? Try versions with whole wheat crust, lots of tomato sauce and some veggies on top (diced extra small!). You'll feel better about the picky eating by making favorite foods more nutrient-dense.

Serve food that can be saved. Tired of throwing away uneaten scrambled eggs or oatmeal? If you're unsure whether your preschooler is going to eat the meal you took time to prepare, choose foods that are easily saved until the next meal or snack time.

Make the most of snacks. It's hard to predict when your preschooler will be hungry. If your preschooler seems to be most picky at mealtimes, make sure you have healthy snacks on hand. If you know your preschooler ate a bunch of nutrient-dense foods at snack time, you'll feel less anxious about their poor appetite at meals.

PreschoolRock Moms Internet Radio Show - Dealing with a Picky Eater

Listen to our radio show - Dealing With a Picky Eater - where we offer help for frustrated parents and tips to make sure your picky eater is still getting the nutrition s/he needs.

Good luck and get ready for the teenage years when you'll be busy shopping at warehouse clubs to satisfy your child's appetite!

I'm Kati Chevaux, the Nutrition writer at PreschoolRock.com. Let's talk about how to how to help our preschoolers eat well and develop life-long healthy eating habits. Contact me with your preschool nutrition questions and healthy eating ideas.

Helpful Tips for Parents

• Picky eating peaks between ages 2–5 and is developmentally normal. Most picky eaters significantly expand their diets between ages 6–10 without intervention.

• Breakfast is the most reliably linked meal to cognitive performance in school-age children. Prioritize a protein- and fiber-rich breakfast every morning.

• Preschoolers' stomach capacity is about 3/4 cup per meal — small portions served 5–6 times per day (3 meals + 2–3 snacks) matches their physiology better than 3 large meals.

• Water is the ideal hydration for preschoolers. Milk (2–3 cups/day) is also appropriate. Sports drinks, soda, and excessive juice have no appropriate role in the preschool diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

My preschooler will only eat 5–6 foods. Is this concerning?

Accepting fewer than 20 foods is considered selective eating that may warrant attention from a feeding therapist. If a child eats 5–6 foods, is not growing appropriately, has intense anxiety around mealtimes or new foods, or has textures they physically gag on (not just dislike), evaluation by a feeding specialist or occupational therapist is appropriate. For children who eat 10–15 varied foods across food groups without significant distress, continued exposure without pressure is the recommended approach.

Related reading: See also our rainbow snack board guide and our cooking projects guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 🌿 Where Food Comes From — Understanding that food grows from seeds, is harvested, and travels to the table connects children to the natural systems that sustain all human life — and measurably increases willingness to eat vegetables children have grown.
• 🤝 Family & Cultural Connection — Sharing meals and preparing traditional family foods connects children to family history, cultural identity, and the social bonds that family mealtimes — one of the strongest protective factors in child development — provide.
• 💬 Vocabulary Expansion — Nutrition activities introduce rich vocabulary — nutrients, protein, fiber, harvest, ferment, season — expanding language range in a domain that connects directly to science, social studies, and health literacy.
• 🧁 Kitchen Science & Math — Cooking is applied chemistry and physics: watching bread rise, butter melt, or egg whites stiffen teaches cause-and-effect science while measuring cups and counting portions deliver authentic math in context.

If you have a preschooler, chances are s/he is, has been, or will be a picky eater. What is a parent to do? The fact is, you can't force your preschooler to eat. Of course, you can demand that plates be cleaned before dessert or be sneaky and hide carrots in smoothies. But these tactics may not be necessary and won't help your preschooler form healthy eating habits. Instead, realize that picky eating is a common and normal stage of child development and try these simple tips to get through the picky eating stage with a little less frustration.