fun and interactive activity that parents can do with their children while shopping—teaches kids about healthy foods, food groups, and smart shopping choices.

No-plate dinners mean no dishes and no pressure—everyone builds their own meal. The only challenge? Be ready for a little mess and some planning. To encourage selective eaters to try new foods, it is important to create exposure opportunities in a no pressure environment. No plate dinners and/or grazing tables provide

As we get into Back-to-School mode, making lunches looms on the horizon. Making school lunches doesn't have to be a chore. Providing kids with at least 3 food groups ensures they will have options in their lunch to fill them up! Our registered dietitian has 10 ideas to get you started!

Getting a selective eater to try new foods is a process. Keep in mind that the goal is to provide your child with the opportunity to be exposed to new foods. Continue to introduce them to unfamiliar foods, have them see that you eat and enjoy them, all the while making sure they have safe foods that they know they can count on. Giving your child permission helps to reduce anxiety around new foods. Inviting your child to be around and try new foods is a very different experience than forcing them to try new foods.

With summer here, your kiddos are likely on a constant hunt for snacks. To help them develop healthy eating habits, try spacing meals and snacks about two hours apart. This gives their little tummies time to feel hungry, enjoy a snack, and recognize when they’re full. When kids “graze” throughout the day—eating small amounts here and there—their bodies have a harder time learning to recognize hunger and fullness cues. Grazing can also lead to more frequent choices of less nutritious, grab-and-go snacks. Let's Support Healthier Habits To support healthier habits, pre-plan snack options and post a visual snack “menu” on the fridge. This gives kids structure, helps them feel independent, and encourages better choices. And why not make snack time fun and educational? Try simple food crafts together—it’s a great way to bond with your child(ren), have fun in the kitchen, and explore possible new foods at the same time! UNDER THE SEA: Shark Snack Cups from Mommy's Fabulous Finds Festive treat made with yogurt, jello, cool whip, graham crackers and optional gummy shark Shark Week Bait from Alex Daynes A lighter treat that includes popcorn, white chocolate chips, f ood coloring/sprinkles, Sixlet Candies, gummy sharks, and pretzel goldfish Candy Sushi from Happy Family Recipes Themed snack made with Rice Krispie Treats (butter, marshmallows, vanilla, Rice Krispie Cereal) Fruit Roll-Ups, large Swedish fish, mini Swedish Fish BEACH + ANIMAL THEMES: Beach Bear Dirt Cups from Made To Be A Momma Celebrate summer with pool inspired lounging! Ingredients include: Teddy Grahams, white chocolate pudding, milk, cool whip, graham crackers, gummy life savers Curious George Snack from Mess for Less (tip, Read a Curious George book to go along with this one!) Enjoy a book and a snack with this Curious George inspired snack! Ingredients include: Nutella, s liced bananas, b lueberries, r ice cakes Animal Tracks Snacks from Loreen Leedy Great snack for the outdoorsy kid who enjoys animals! You can use a variety of ingredients including: cheese, crackers, pretzels, cream cheese, almonds and pepperoni FOR THE NATURE LOVER: Nature Snacks : Edible Crafts for Kids - Parties With A Cause A large variety of snacks for nature lover of all kinds including all sorts of flora and fauna options! POPSICLES: Fresh Fruit Popsicles from One Little Project How to Make Fruit Popsicles with Real, Fresh Fruit Strawberry Breakfast Popsicles from Fraiche Living We can imagine all sorts of variations of this recipe! Start with the following simple ingredients: yogurt, fresh strawberries, milk (or your choice) lemon juice and granola Frozen Yogurt Banana Pops from Kalejunkie Such a simple, yet festive recipe that uses ingredients commonly found in the kitchen such as bananas, yogurt and sprinkes! FOOD IMPOSTERS: Pancake Donuts from Balanced with Babies Made with just two ingredients: pancake mix and milk! You will need a fun donut shaped mold for this recipe Breakfast Banana Split - Art From My Table Ingredients include: banana, yogurt, blackberries, raspberries, granola, mini chocolate chips Fruit Cracker Pizzas from Sunshine & Hurricanes Crackers + cream cheese + fruit! Watermelon Rice Krispy Treats from My Heavenly Recipes Festive treat to be shared! Made with butter, marshmallows, R ice Krispies, food coloring and chocolate chips

A Fun Way to Introduce Your Child to Food!

Our Registered Dietitian (RD) has some practical tips to incorporate into mealtime for a more successful, enjoyable child-food relationship. The goals of these interaction are to create a positive relationship with food, enjoy happy meal times, reduce anxiety, reduce battles surrounding food, and fitting all types of food into a healthy lifestyle.

If you have a child who is a selective eater, learn about some time-tested eating tips including: nutrition guidelines, tips for parents during meal times, and types of food children tend to enjoy. Try a combination of these tricks and find what will work best for your family.

Sometimes kids struggle with trying different foods, especially different textures of foods. Repeat exposure and sensory integration through play helps them become accustomed to various textures, such as sticky, soft, crunchy, smooth. To help your child along the way, build a food sensory board allowing them to experience various foods and textures in a fun and colorful manner. The more exposure without expectation to eat the foods, the more likely they will be to try the foods. Present it to them as a snack in a low-pressure environment. Think kid-friendly, finger foods. Be sure to include one or two of their favorites so they have something familiar and comforting on the board as well. Use a muffin tin, ice cube tray or another divided plate to allow for all foods to be presented in a visually appealing manner. A sensory charcuterie board can be customized to fit your child’s interests. For easy grocery shopping list, check out our downloadable list! To incorporate different textures: