One day they love the vegan mac and cheese you made for dinner, and then the next time you make it, they won’t even try a bite. Is it because it’s vegan? Should I make them regular mac and cheese instead? NO! Resist the urge to fall back on processed kid food. This is the picky toddler syndrome, and I’ve been learning to combat it for the past two years. When Hannah was starting solid foods, she loved everything. The same with Parker right now—food is new, exciting, and he loves almost everything I give him. But after Hannah turned one, her tastes started to evolve. It’s a natural progression, and through it all I’ve maintained our vegan, plant-based, gluten-free lifestyle. For all the parents out there raising vegan, plant-based, and/or gluten-free kids, here are a few tricks I’ve learned to promote healthy eating habits with my toddler.

1. They may not like a new recipe the first time you make it. This is a really hard one to accept when you just spent time in the kitchen making a brand new meal. Sometimes toddlers need to try something out a few times before deciding that it’s yummy. So as long as it’s not a dish that’s too spicy or strong, keep offering it to your toddler every time you make it. And then one day, they’ll surprise you and actually eat it!
2. Offer a small amount, not a huge serving. A big pile of something new can intimidate a toddler. Instead, I’ll place a small scoop of the new item on Hannah’s plate, along with one or two other foods that I know she likes. That way there are familiar foods on her plate that she can start eating right away, then work up to trying the new food.
3. Don’t immediately offer an alternative meal if they don’t like the new meal. If your toddler instantaneously demands something different to eat, try to wait it out a bit and see if they will warm up to the new food. I wait until I’m done eating to offer something else for Hannah to eat if she doesn’t like the new food.
4. One day they love it, the next day they don’t. This tends to happen when I make the same recipe too often. When it does occur, sometimes a little bit of ketchup or hummus makes the meal more interesting—kids love to dip their food.
5. Limit snacks right before dinner. Keep them hungry and they’ll have no choice but to try your delicious dinners!
6. Take a bite at the same time. If Hannah is adamant that she won’t try the new meal, I try to make a game out of it. On the count of three, let’s both take a bite together! (I promise you, this one works!)

Have any toddler feeding tips that work in your house? I’d love to hear them, leave a comment below!