Two Things You Worry About
Three Things You Can Do About It

Parents of toddlers have two major concerns when it comes to food:

1. They worry their child is too picky
2. They worry their child doesn’t eat enough fruits and vegetables

Eating too few fruits and veggies may be the result of the picky behavior which is a valid concern. It can lead to nutritional deficiencies, so remedying it early on is important.

Picky eating, at least according to researchers and health professionals, is characterized as a child who consumes an inadequate variety of food, as opposed to an inadequate amount of food.

As pesky as picky eating may seem, there are three simple things you can do to help.

1. Be a good model by eating your fruits and vegetables: Parents who eat more fruits and vegetables are more apt to have kids who a) are less picky and b) consume more fruits and vegetables. Research shows that parents who eat more fruits and veggies are less likely to pressure their kids to eat them, which is key.
2. Make fruits and vegetables available: Moms who model fruit and veggie eating and who make fruits and vegetables readily available have kids who are less picky and who eat more servings of fruits and vegetables. Keep them cut up on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator within easy reach.
3. Don’t pressure: Studies show that parents who pressure their kids to eat actually get kids with higher levels of pickiness and kids who eat significantly fewer servings of fruits and vegetables.

The wide variety of Earth’s Best toddler foods can help you provide fruits and vegetables to your kids in a fun, friendly, non-pressured way. Our new Sesame Street Frozen Entrées include a whole serving of organic carrots and broccoli along with kid pleasing Mac and Cheese or Pasta with Sauce. It’s a great way to make vegetables available to your kids while allowing favorite Sesame Street characters to do the encouraging.

Sesame Street and Earth’s Best offer other fruit and vegetable rich foods as well, including our Organic Soups, Blueberry Breakfast Waffles and Sunny Day Snack Bars.