The scene is all too familiar: The dining room is festively appointed. The spread- a smorgasbord of shroom studded stuffing, yummy yams, grilled asparagus, cranberry hash and turkey- beckons. But, your child screeches NO GOOD! And demands Kraft macaroni and cheese pronto. How, oh how can you transform your picky eater and entice him to board the proverbial gravy train? Uber pediatrician and author of Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor & a Bottle of Ketchup Dr. Laura Jana answers your burning culinary queries.


Q: What are some tactics to get your picky eater to leave the noodles behind and go for some turkey and fixins?

LJ: Make the food preparation itself part of the "celebration." By letting (or getting) your kids to be hands-on and involved, help choose the menu, help create an elaborate spread, and even take the credit for the culinary creations they contribute to, you stand a far better chance of expanding their interests beyond the bland and lackluster dishes. This also gives you the opportunity to spend some (hopefully) quality time together, explain (and demonstrate) some healthy alternatives and substitutes while cooking, etc.

Q: How do you view bribery? Is it ok to offer a sweet treat in exchange for polishing off the green beans?

LJ: Believe me I understand the temptation, but I just can't reconcile what I know about teaching children healthy habits (including healthy nutrition) and the notion of coaxing (okay, outright bribing) children to eat with rewards as their proverbial carrot, whether the rewards are sugary treats or non-food rewards. That said, I do believe in teaching children how to "eat responsibly," and that does include making sure they learn to eat a balanced diet. That means not using the all-too-common "if you eat 3 bites of X, you can have pumpkin pie and ice cream for dessert," but instead using such techniques as pointing out that "I'm not hungry" means your child isn't hungry for anything, not just the brussel sprouts.


Q: Many kids fills up on milk and other beverages and claim to be full at mealtime. What to do?

LJ: Parents often overlook the impact of drinking on their children's appetite and eating habits. Milk is perhaps the biggest overlooked culprit. To begin with, I'd make sure everyone is aware of the current recommendation to offer only skim (or lowfat) milk to kids over the age of two. Whole milk provides no added nutritional value, is full of appetite-dulling saturated fat, and is very commonly to blame for the "I'm not hungry" claim at dinnertime. I'm also partial to limiting milk to mealtimes and promote water for snacks. Of course this may not be the time to say so, as I am well aware of the fact that serving water at a family mid-afternoon celebration on Thanksgiving Day stands a good chance of putting a damper on the celebration. But now's the time to get creative and not entirely sacrifice all nutritional reason: try adding some sparkling water to your child's favorite 100% juice; some club soda to orange juice; or just grab a bottle of sparkling cider. Not only are these hits with kids, but they are particularly well-received if you simply put them in your fancy glasses and proceed to toast all your thankful for (including your family's good health). And finally, on the overall concept of dealing with "I'm not hungry" at mealtime. I'm a big fan of allowing kids to determine when they're hungry and when they're not. After all, it's a parent's job to put good (ie nutritious) food in front of their children, and the children's job to decide if/when/how much to eat. Just make sure you don't mess up this simple equation by adding in all sorts of unhealthy and filling temptations beforehand. If you do - just be sure to expect the expected consequences.


Q: how can a parent effectively nip "NO!" in the bud in response to trying a new food?

LJ: I’ m a big fan of the "no thank you" bite. This form of reverse psychology allows kids to ask for the food they don't want, with the understanding that they will simply take a taste but not be forced to eat a heaping serving of whatever the scorned food may be. Knowing that it can take 10-15 exposures to a new food before it gains acceptance by children, this accomplishes several things. First and foremost, it takes the fight out of food by minimizing the arguments, it gives children more control, it acknowledges likes and dislikes, and it achieves the goal of broadening a child's food exposures and willingness to taste new things.

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