How to get even fussy children to eat their fill

How things run smoothly at the family dining table

Avoid frustration: Many children only become more picky about food in their second or third year of life. Don't force anything, even if your child suddenly rejects foods they previously ate without complaint – instead try offering something new.

Discover new preferences: It would be unreasonable to expect children to eat everything – after all, not everything tastes good to us adults either. Take advantage of the variety of fresh, healthy foods and try something new more often – with a bit of luck you'll find a new favorite meal.

Cook more yourself: Klar, sometimes there's no time for a home-cooked meal. But the more you prepare yourself, the more control you have over the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Also: children who are allowed to help cook are often much more adventurous and are more willing to eat in their own creations.

Don't force them to finish their plate: Bei Kindern ist das natürliche Sättigungsgefühl noch sehr ausgeprägt. Accept it when your child is full and never force them to clear their plate. What a child eats too little of in one meal, they usually make up for at the next one.

Don't panic: Jam sandwiches at every meal? Almost all parents know phases in which their children seem to live on a single food. Whether you give in to the special eating requests is your decision – but you don't need to worry about possible deficiencies. As a rule, children sooner or later return to other foods on their own.

How children can enjoy eating more

Mäkelige Kinder | Mädchen mit Zopf sitzt vor Müsli-Schale mit verschränkten Armen

Eating together tastes better

Family meals create closeness, give everyday life structure and provide an opportunity to calmly talk about the day. In the process, children pick up a lot from their parents and their eating habits while eating together – so it's worth setting a good example.

Favorite meals on a favorite plate

Children's crockery and cutlery with favorite motifs add color to the table and fun to the meal. The cheerful cutlery and crockery sets are adapted to small children's hands and make eating easier. For a birthday, as a gift from grandma, or simply as a surprise on the dining table – a child's first own tableware is a great motivation.

No appetite?

Some children naturally have less appetite than others, whether temporarily or long-term. As long as your child appears healthy and is not constantly pale or listless, you should accept it as it is. With a few tricks you can also feed picky eaters a balanced diet. The first step: Don't make too much fuss about food – that quickly suggests to children that something is wrong. The second: Make meals interesting. Children who skip their breakfast in the morning can, for example, start the day with a glass of milk, a smoothie or a homemade drinking yogurt with fruit. Sometimes it also helps to split food into several small meals. If it can be arranged with the family meals, you can put some sliced fruit, a sandwich or a yogurt on the table in between.

Tricks allowed: 'hidden' and 'playful' vegetables

Much-loved pasta sauces: Almost all children love pasta – with the pasta sauce you can 'unobtrusively' offer some vegetables. Try small diced carrots and zucchini in a Bolognese sauce, add fine leek and bell pepper strips to a cream sauce, or enrich a homemade fruity tomato sauce with bell pepper.

Crunchy finger food: Kindern who ignore cooked vegetables might prefer fresh, crunchy raw veggies: carrots, cucumbers, kohlrabi or bell peppers, cut into handy sticks, are nicely colorful and can be eaten with the fingers. With cream cheese or another dip, healthy finger food becomes even more appealing.

Liquid fruit and vegetables: Juices and smoothies are not a full substitute for fresh fruit and vegetables, but a good alternative for children who simply refuse these foods. Of course, homemade juices and smoothies are better than store-bought products – feel free to add some carrot or beetroot, which you can mix with fruit juices. The main thing is cheese: Sometimes a crispy cheese crust is enough to make vegetables attractive to children. Popular potato and pasta casseroles can also be wonderfully enriched with vegetables.