With the variety of foods that are available to us today, many children become picky eaters. They are often given the option to choose from a menu that is preset, making it far too easy for them to select the food that they want to eat. If your child is showing signs of being a picky eater, here are some helpful tips on how to help him or her to eat a healthy and varied diet.

It is always important to begin when children are young. This allows them to learn what is good for them and what is bad for them. Parents should be open and allow their children to eat all types of foods. However, once they have shown excessive resistance, parents must take more drastic measures.

Encourage your child to eat fruits and vegetables. Your child may be resistant at first but try your best to stick to this diet. After awhile your child will begin to enjoy the taste and will be more open to try new foods. Be careful not to give in to their tastes though. By getting them used to eating healthy and cooked foods early, they will be more willing to try new foods later on in life.

Do not offer your child fried foods when they are being introduced to new foods. Fried foods are very enticing to children and can be a very easy way to get them to eat unhealthy foods. Instead, offer them steamed vegetables. Steamed vegetables are healthier than fried ones and your child will not be able to tell the difference. They will still like the taste.

Don’t make your child’s meals seem like a chore. Let them know that eating healthy is fun and that you want them to be healthy. Make it fun for them by offering snacks during meal times and let them help you cook dinner. If they ask you what they can have while you are cooking, be sure to tell them that they can eat just what they want. Even if they don’t want to eat it right away, telling them that it’s not a big deal will get them to try something that might be dangerous later.

Parents have a great influence on their children. You can take that influence over to the dinner table and teach your child how to eat healthily. Make sure that your child learns good eating habits at an early age. This will be beneficial for them in the long run. You may also discover that it helps you get into better eating habits yourself.