Getting Picky Eaters To Eat Healthy

By: Polly Leider

Young kids can be notoriously picky eaters.

So, how can you get them to try something other than the usual chicken nuggets, pizza and french fries?

All week on The Early Show, Real Simple magazine is sharing advice from its special family issue.

On Wednesday, the magazine's Kris Connell offered some creative, but simple ways to make healthy foods seem more appealing.

"The thing with picky eaters is, just because they don't eat it this week doesn't mean they won't eat it a month from now. So keep trying to introduce new things," Connell urges.

Among her tips:

Let kids use their fingers

Connell suggested starting "with something that's familiar and tried and true, the grilled cheese. This is all about a natural inclination that kids love to dip things and dunk. So, we worked with that theme with all of this. So, grilled cheese, cut into four.

"And then, this is a bowl of tomato soup. Soup can feel like a bit of a foreign thing for kids. But if you're dipping, it makes the whole experience a little bit more fun. And if you run into a little resistance, you can call it 'big kid ketchup' with the little ones. That might go over well.

"It can come right out of the can. It doesn't have to be something you're spending hours making."

Disguise protein as a dip

Chili is something to graduate to, Connell said: "My daughter loves salsa. So, if you have a kid who loves chips and salsa, maybe chili is the next thing. (Try using) some pita chips that you can buy in a bag, or just take a pita and slice it up and toast it for a few minutes, and have the kids dip in.

"You can sneak soybeans into your kids' diet. Defrost them, shell them, mix them in the food processor with a tablespoon of yogurt and a little pinch of salt, and you can serve it even with pretzel sticks, because they're getting so much in here that it's not bad to have the pretzel sticks or broccoli.