Got a picky eater? Boys Town Pediatrics offers healthy snack options your kids will eat.

Many tastes are acquired and your child may eventually learn to like a food that he initially refused. Parents should encourage new foods. Ask your child to taste the new food and describe it back to you. Talk to your children about what is in the food; protein for muscles, carbohydrates for energy and calcium for strong bones. 

Teach your children that snack food is not ‘bad’ and that sweets can fit into a healthy diet, sometimes.  It is fine to go out for ice cream or candy for a treat. This will show children that these foods are acceptable in moderation.

Boys Town Pediatrics offers a few healthy snack solutions:

• Fresh fruit (apples, grapes, pears) dipped in yogurt.
• Vanilla wafers or graham crackers dipped in yogurt.
• Pretzel twists.
• Low-fat or nonfat chocolate milk.
• Cottage cheese with pineapple chunks.
• Frozen juices (100% juices frozen in ice trays or popsicle trays).
• Jell-O with fruit.
• Oatmeal with sliced peaches.
• Ritz crackers with low-fat cream cheese.
• Dried fruit or trail mix.
• Yogurt creamsicles (combine ½ c. plain yogurt with ½ fruit juice concentrate and freeze).

Children 8 months to 1 year will be able to eat small portions of some of the snacks listed above. It is recommended that cow’s milk and citrus fruits not be offered until after 1 year of age and nuts not until the age of 2. Always supervise your child while eating to avoid choking. If you have any questions about what your child should be eating or avoiding, consult you pediatrician. 

For more information on healthy snacks or picky eaters, visit www.boystownpediatrics.org.