A Dietitian's View

The next week the parent offers pears. Baby tastes it, spits it out and makes a face. The parent does not force it and thinks, "Okay, baby does not like it, so I won't offer it again." So baby is only eating the applesauce.

It is true that it often takes multiple tastes of a new food before a child accepts it -- of course some foods require more offerings than others, and some foods are never accepted. The most important thing you can do is offer your children as many new foods as possible, as early in life as possible. It takes much longer to accept new foods when you are older, as you may already know. I meet 10-year-old children who have never tried a fresh pear or red pepper. I am also discouraged by the statistic showing that the number one vegetable consumed by toddlers is the fried potato.

Let's commit to changing that statistic! These tips will get you started:

* When infants are at the stage of trying new foods, offer new foods every few days to see if there are any reactions or allergies. By the time baby is one year old, hopefully, baby has a varied diet of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein foods, including beans, tofu, soft meats and yogurt.

* When toddlerhood (and independent eating) arrives, stick with meal times and avoid filling the child up on cheese crackers and milk, or juice before mealtime.

* Let your child see you try new foods. Children are copycats, so if you model an interest in trying new things, there's a stronger chance that your child will too.

* It is very important that kids are hungry at mealtime in order for them to want to try a new food. Halt snacking at least 1 to 2 hours beforehand and even longer for older children.

* If children are labeled as "picky eaters," guess what? They will be! Let's stop the labeling and eat with our children the most nutritious meals we can provide.