4 Tips For Parents of Picky Eaters

Does your child hate to sit down for a meal?  Does he/she love veggies one day and then have no interest in them another day?  Does he/she stress you out with his/her picky eating?  If so, try these 4 tips for picky eaters

  1.  Cut out shapes.  A pancake, omelette, or sandwich for instance, can easily turn into a fun shape with the help of a cookie cutter.  I like to incorporate this idea into all my holiday meals.  (stars for fourth of July, hearts for Valentine’s, bears for an animal themed 2nd birthday). picky eaters, tips for picky eaters, pancakes, food art toddler foodIf you have time to get more elaborate, you can even use a bento cutter like my bear face cutter (used below) and have your child help you draw a face (with edible markers). edible marker IMG_0746
  2. Slice and Skewer.  Has your toddler suddenly banned fruit or veggies? instagram.com_2015-07-02_22-21-52 party foodmeisterdishSkewers seem to magically disguise previously unwanted foods.  It has worked for me and maybe it will work for you.
  3. Choose fun dishes.  We use these fun Fred & Friends dishes – here are some examples of how you can decorate them with food.face dishfred and friendsThe melamine hairstyle versions featured above are the nonbreakable versions and what I’d recommend for babies and toddlers. Skiphop, Sanrio and Disney are all great bets too if your child has a favorite character like Mickey, or Hello Kitty.
  4. Enlist their help!  My daughter has had so much fun helping me mix ingredients together during our cooking and baking sessions that she now asks to sleep with her whisk she loves it so much!  Getting her involved with the process of cooking has interested her in tasting the final product even more.

In the end, if all else fails, and your picky eater still won’t eat 3 sit-down meals, don’t fret.  Rest assured in knowing that pediatricians say that as long as they have 1 decent meal and are growing at a normal weight and height that you don’t have to pull your hair out worrying and stressing.  It’s true that some days, they’ll be good eaters and others they won’t but hopefully, these tips will add some fun and interest back into his/her eating habits.

What other tips would you add?

Here are links of where to buy some of the items listed here!

Museum of Feelings as Experienced by a Toddler – Glade Popup

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A free, interactive place to take your NYC kid in the neighborhood?  A place to create your own art and have a mood ring like experience?  It all sounded intriguing to me so I dashed on over with my minifashionista to check out what all the buzz was about at the Museum of Feelings at Brookfield Place.  Turns out it is a very cool, albeit thinly veiled pop-up by Glade, who creatively immerses you in their latest scents as your travel through a mysterious maze of ‘exhibits.’ Juliet started off loving her freebie – the shiny piece of cardboard she was instructed at entrance to refract light.

museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

The docents poetically waxed on about the responsive mood wall, the dividing of your shadows and how fragrances act as the muse to inspire visitors to explore their emotions.  Of course, Juliet only heard ‘yada yada yada’ and was more interested in the mixing of all her favorite colors.  ‘ooh blue, ooh red, oh look at THAT! YELLOW!’

museum of feelings, museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kidsJuliet courageously ventured forward despite the darkness and enjoyed getting to experiment with her newfound glittery cardboard. If I were a more knowledgeable mom, I would have used this opportune time to teach her about how light refracts and the science behind it but I am not, so we resorted to a playful and elementary discussion on the prettiness of the lights.  (Sorry kid.)

museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

We were told this room was about feeling optimistic.  The reflective pass card apparently activated sensors that triggered ambient audio and light.  Berry scents filled the room. 

J’s feeling status? curiously excited.

The next room labeled, ‘Joyful’ was J’s favorite. This staffer distributed these glasses and encouraged us to think about the feeling of being young during the holiday season. That was easy!

museum of feelings, museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

She couldn’t believe her luck upon entering through its dangling green, light-up vines and she laughed as they tickled her every move.  Infused with Glade’s Balsam & Fir Winter Collection fragrance, this modern forest appeared never-ending thanks to the room’s mirrored and reflective surfaces.

museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

J’s feeling status? Playful!

museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

This unique room definitely gave me a feeling of gratitude – for being a NY mom and being able to take my toddler to such cool places.

The ‘Feel Invigorated’ room inspired by the Glade® Blue Odyssee scent, transported you into a world where a colorful halo followed and tracked your every motion.

glade pop up, museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

J’s feeling status? upset (She was the only one without a halo since she was too little to be tracked by one)

The next room was a fun one for my tech-savvy toddler.  Use the futuristic ipad to control the floral images in the room and be rewarded with the scent of Blooming Peony & Cherry, we were told.  This kaleidoscopic room was totally trippy and inspired Juliet to lie down to truly enjoy the magnificent wonder of it all.

museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

This girl really knows how to enjoy a view!  Only a toddler could get away with this, right? haha

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J’s feeling status?  Pensive

Glade’s popup was supposed to inspire calm with the help of  Glade’s Lavender & Vanilla fragrance.  Fog clouds enveloped you while scents and sounds further transported you to a heavenly peace.  And it did.  That is until, Juliet practically screamed out, ‘UH-OH Mommy, I POO-ed!!”  museum of feelings, museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

Uh-oh is right!  Thanks for emitting your own cloud of odor, J!  Suddenly, we saw the room clear out and only we were left to ‘immerse ourselves in our feelings.”  (i.e. feelings of guilt and remorse)  The room suddenly went from heaven to hell in a split second.  Where’s the bathroom?? lol

J’s feeling status?  Disgusted.

(new) scent:  a mix of lavender and diarrhea  ( I do not suggest Glade try and market THAT).

museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

After exiting, we found ourselves in what was relatively, a ginormous room dedicated to taking selfies.  (This is a modern museum after all).  The above pic was the only one we hurriedly took since we were, you know in a rush to change the poopy mess.  But for those fortunate enough not to have a diaper filled with pooh, you could stick around and have this magical machine read your current mood and artistically display it (for all the world to see) in a colorful photograph like the ones below!

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museum of feelings, glade popup, popups, nyc popup, popup for kids

Oh yea and you could also buy yourself a Glade candle souvenir but we were to pooped out to do that.

This interactive installation is on Brookfield Place’s Waterfront Plaza and is open to the public until December 15. And I highly recommend it!
Monday – Saturday – 11:00AM – 9:00PM
Sunday – 11:00AM – 7:00PM 

brookfield place ice skating

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