by Lana Stockton

Created on: June 16, 2009   Last Updated: July 04, 2010

The best way to get your child to eat new foods, is to raise him from infancy to not be a picky eater. But what if the child has already started being picky about food? You may be a brand new mom wanting to start your child on the path to healthy eating from day one. Or you may have just fully realized that your isn't about to eat what you set in front of him at the table. Here are some tips to help in both situations

Teaching baby to enjoy new foods

When baby is ready for slightly solid food, his pediatrician may recommend you begin feeding him a few teaspoons full of thin, rather runny baby rice cereal. Rice is the mildest cereal for a new digestive system and presents the fewest problems for food allergies. Do consult the child's doctor first before starting any solid food regimen.

Remember, your baby has not yet developed likes or dislikes for any foods. Everything will be new to him. As an adult you may think baby needs a sprinkle of sugar on his rice to make it less bland. Leave out the sugar. Baby will be grateful to have something in his hungry little tummy. He will come to associate that bland rice as something that makes him feel better. Do not be tempted to get the sugar shaker. You want him to become acclimated to bland, even boring foods, so he will not come to expect sweetness and excitement every time he gets fed. We're trying to keep from creating a picky eater.

When it's time for strained baby foods, start him on vegetables, not fruits. If he begins by eating sweet bananas or baby huckleberry pie, he will come to expect you to entertain his taste-buds every time he sits down to a meal. Starting vegetables first gives your child a chance to explore new, healthy tastes. Not just explore, but come to look forward to his creamy strained squash, or pretty green pea puree.

After a few weeks on vegetables you can introduce him to small amounts of baby dessert. After finishing his squash he can have a few bites of that yummy banana pudding. You will be training him to eat the healthy foods first. He's also learning that the sweet fruits and puddings are only to top off the real meal.

Introducing older children to new foods

Prepare your child mentally to accept new foods. Let him plant a snack garden.This will be his own little garden space where he can grow snacks you don't mind him getting in to. When choosing seeds, encourage him to plant at least one thing he's never eaten before. If he plants it, waters it and watches it grow, chances are it will taste a lot better to him than something you set on a plate in front of him.

Set a good example. Let your child see you trying new foods, or experimenting with a new recipe you might enjoy. Let your child help you prepare meals. Food you make all by yourself always tastes ten times better than anybody else's cooking.

Careful how you talk. If you refer to a tuna casserole as tuna noodle goop, you've managed to create a little hesitation toward trying it. Which would you rather eat, cornmeal mush or bear porridge? It's much easier to gobble up a bowl of porridge. Especially when Goldilocks and the three bears have the same thing for breakfast.

Set a good example. Refrain from making an ugly face at foods you, yourself do not like. Be careful of the terminology and best of all, enjoy new foods together.

Learn more about this author, Lana Stockton.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.