Thank you House Foods for sponsoring this post.

Do you have a picky eater? I always hear stories about kids who will only eat chicken nuggets and french fries and I think about how frustrating that must be for their parents! I know that everyone’s lives are busy, especially with the start of school quickly approaching, and there isn’t a ton of time to negotiate with children about what they’re going to eat.

Wouldn’t it be ideal if we put snacks and meals in front of them and they just ate it, no questions asked?

I actually gave my kids tofu for the first time this week and it went incredibly smooth! For those of you struggling to get more variety into your kid’s diet, I thought this would be the perfect time to share how I encourage my girls to try new foods!

Here are some of the things that help me:

Make it Fun

It always helps if kids are interested and engaged when you introduce new food to them!

We were lucky enough to be sent The Tales of Tofu from House Foods along with a few packs of tofu. It’s a really precious story about a piece of tofu and the way he works with other foods to make four delicious, healthy recipes. It has amazing illustrations and easy cooking instructions built right into the book!

The girls loved reading The Tales of Tofu and were so excited to make a treat from the book: Chocolate Tofu Pudding! We just needed House Foods extra-firm tofu and a few other simple ingredients.

For the cute story and chocolate tofu pudding recipe, download The Tales of Tofu ebook!

Start Early

Babies and toddlers are still developing eating habits and preferences so it benefits you to introduce a variety of healthy foods as soon as your pediatrician gives you the green light!

Eat Together

Sit down with your kiddos so that they can see a great example of healthy eating habits. If there’s something they’ve never tried before, model how it should be eaten.

I also NEVER make a separate meal for my kids. Everyone at the table is expected to eat the same thing.

Presentation

We eat with our eyes first and we all want our food to look good! If you’re asking your kids to try new foods, be mindful of the way you present it and make sure it appears appetizing.

Small Portions

Start with just a little bit of the new food you want them to try and pair it with something familiar. For instance, you can offer a few slices of fresh bell peppers for the first time with pieces of their favorite cheese.

Even though the girls were looking forward to tasting chocolate tofu pudding, I gave them small portions initially and then let them ask when they were ready for more!

Spoiler alert: They licked their cups clean!

Be Honest

I like my kids to know what they’re eating so I never try to sneak something onto their plate. I could have clandestinely whipped up some chocolate tofu pudding and served it to my girls, but I always make an effort to tell them the ingredients in their food.

It’s important for kids to understand that our bodies need a well-balanced diet (including occasional treats) and you want them to eat something because they’ve chosen to, not because they were tricked.

Keep Trying

If your little one refuses something the first time you present it to them, just wait a couple of days and casually offer it again. And again and again and again. Don’t be forceful, but keep giving them a chance to try the new food because you never know when they might become interested.

Leave me a comment and let me know which of these tips is most helpful for motivating your picky eater!

I’m overjoyed that we had such a wonderful first experience with tofu and I can’t wait to try the other ideas in The Tales of Tofu from House Foods! In addition to chocolate tofu pudding, the ebook also has these yummy recipes:

• Strawberry Papaya Tofu Smoothies
• Broccoli Mac and “Cheese”
• Tofu Tacos

Be sure to download your copy of The Tales of Tofu ebook now and head over to House Foods to get all of the tofu you need!

If you want more healthy treats to make with your kids, banana spinach smoothies and cinnamon raisin peanut butter balls are popular in my home!

Talk to you soon!