by Alejandra Betancourt

Created on: July 15, 2009

Do you feel your child is not getting a daily balanced and nutritional meal? Does your child only want to eat the same foods over and over? Does your child start to gag at the site of new food? If you answer yes to any of the questions, then your child suffers from Picky Eater Syndrome. Well, I made up the name for the syndrome after my picky eater, four years old son. It is not an actual syndrome but you are welcome to use it for fun.

There are many families that have at least one picky eater. The exact science of why some children are selective of what they eat is not known but eventually they will grow out of it. Some parents might believe they did not encouraged or introduced a variety of food items to their toddlers; while others may thing it runs in the family. I myself was a picky eater growing up and suffered off and on with anemia until I was ten years old. My son so far, has not tested positive for anemia or other deficiencies; thanks in great part to my sneaky approaches in introducing vegetables and grains to his diet.

Over time, I have become great at sneaking healthy foods that my son would not eat, into foods he loves. I hope to share some of those tips and ideas with you.

Let the Blender Be Your Friend

My son loves banana smoothies but does not care for eating a regular banana. When my bananas are overripe, I throw them in a blender with other yummy items. For example, the main ingredients will be the bananas, low-fat milk, ice cubes and other fruits that I may have available. For an added kick, I sometimes throw in some of the following vegetables, carrots, cucumbers, and zucchinis. These vegetables have a mild taste and do not change the flavor of the smoothie. Any leftover smoothie that I may have, I make popsicles. My mom used to add raw egg whites to our smoothies. If you can stomach it and are not afraid of salmonella poisoning; adding raw egg whites is a great way to boost protein.

Make your own sauces for spaghetti, pizzas, and other pastas. Boil tomatoes until they are soft and blend them with some of the liquid from the pot. Add other cooked vegetables to the mixture. For example spinach, broccoli, green beans and so on. Add seasoning for flavor. Your kids will never know what vegetables they are eating. You can also blend the vegetables instead of adding them as chunks to rice or other side dishes.

Combine

Most children love hamburgers, and this is one of the easiest ways to hide food. You will have to prepare your

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