Healthy Meals for Picky Eaters

Oh yes I've had picky eaters in my day. Boys that wont eat grilled cheese cause he doesnt like mushy cheese. One food can't touch another. My daughter hates eggs (sorry Sarah) but loves carrots go figure. When they get in their pick stage I start with finger foods. Carrots with Ranch dressing. Cut up Apple slices. For meats I'll saute some beef with some onion and pepper then pull out the onion and pepper pieces for my daughter and put some ketchup on the side or worshire (sp) sauce. Mashed potatoes put into shapes on her plate. A baked potato with sour creamon the side. Just becareful you cut all these up into safe sizes.

My picky eater likes simple foods. Here are some examples of things he likes:

Roast chicken, rice, carrots
Homemade Spaghetti (with sauce made with lots of veggies pureed in and leftover chicken from the roast chicken)
Homemade chicken noodle soup
Pork chops, mashed potatoes, brocolli
Tacos

He does not like anything mixed together, thus he dislikes casseroles or enchiladas. He likes steak. He likes roasts so sometimes I make one in the crockpot. He likes baked potatoes. He likes raw carrots. He likes sides of fruit (but only certain fruit, sigh) Every dinner he gets a side of veggies and a side of fruit with his meal. His favorite dinners are simple like my mom used to make: a meat, a starch (pasta, rice, potatoes) and a veggie. Sometimes I'll make biscuits using Bisquick which our son loves as well. When I make something more unusual like curry or stir fry or enchiladas, I leave out or take out some of the plain meat for our son. He gets a serving of the dinner and he has to try a bite. The other night he surprised me and loved what we were eating. Hoorah! Now there is another food I know he will eat happily.

how about omlets. my son is a picky eater but loves eggs! especially with cheese. also keep trying things in different forms she may suprise you. for example my son hates peas (or almost any veggie) but i have recently found out he LOVES spilt pea soup.

i kind of don't think its a battle worth having....if you don't expose her to a ton of foods now, it doesn't mean she won't be a great eater later (i was raised on hot dogs, bologna and chef boyardee ravioli b/c i was the pickiest eater, and now i eat very everything). my daughter, also 3, is really picky (doesn't like ketchup!) but eats mac n cheese, chix nuggets, pizza, hot dogs, plain pasta, peanut butter on waffles, pancakes and eggs. that's it for "main" courses. however i supplement these with other things she likes that aren't necessarily "entrees" but are healthy - yogurt, peas, watermelon, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc. We found what she likes and have no problem if she eats the same things every week, sometimes every day. So long as she eats, its all good : )

We introduce her to things but if she doesn't want to try what we're having, I don't force her. And then every once in awhile she says she wants to try it and she does. And sometimes she likes it (hummus) and sometimes she doesn't (lasagna). And sometimes she likes one thing on Monday, and hates the same thing on Tuesday. Don't be too hard on yourself (or her) and enjoy your summer and your pregnancy : )