The Dinner Table Doesn’t Have To Be A Battlefield -Guest Post by Liza Huber

As you know, I have two small girls and like every other mom I have struggled with my kids during meal time. They want what they want, but I want to give them what they need. 

They cry, I tear, we hug, and sometimes they even get their way. (shhh, happens to the best of us)

It's a cycle!

Some moms seem to have been able to come up with great solutions to prevent this from happening and I am all ears, all the time. 

We all need to hear ways we can encourage good healthy eating with our children and I am excited to have Liza Huber, mom and inventor of Sage Spoonfuls, share her approach to getting kids to eat!

Check out this guest post and discover new ways to get your kids to eat too:

Parents all across the country are struggling with picky eaters.  

Instead of mealtime being an enjoyable time to bond with our families, the dinner table often becomes a battlefield.  How did it happen?  How do we prevent it?  And what do we do if our kids are already picky?

While I have some theories as to why kids become picky eaters, I think it’s more important to discuss how we prevent it and how to deal with it.  

The best way to prevent your child from becoming a picky eater is to feed him homemade baby food from the start, because it’s about the experience.  It’s about teaching him that food is yummy and mealtime is something to look forward to.  

Babies do not need to eat bland food.  They are far more adventurous eaters if given the opportunity.  

Store bought baby food is usually bland in color, taste, texture and the smell is rarely as enticing as homemade.  Babies who are fed a consistent diet of this food have a much higher chance of becoming picky eaters.  They become so accustomed to eating bland food, which they don’t enjoy very much, that they are less eager to try new tastes and textures.  

Unfortunately, this pattern often continues into the toddler years and well into childhood.  On the other hand, babies who are fed a consistent diet of delicious homemade baby food often grow to become adventurous eaters who make healthy choices for themselves without even realizing it.  

This is not to say kids who are fed homemade baby food won’t go crazy for ice cream, cookies and chicken nuggets on occasion, it’s just that getting them to eat well isn’t a daily struggle.  

If your child is already a picky eater, the best way to combat it is to get her involved.  

Take her to the grocery store, let her pick out fruits and veggies that look good to her and involve her in the preparation process at home.  Tell her about each food and how it helps her body grow.  Let her throw veggies into a salad , stir the soup or grab ingredients out of the fridge or pantry.  

While you are slowly breaking your child of being a picky eater, become a sneaky chef.  

Most kids love pasta and here are things you can do to make it healthier.  

1. Choose whole grain pasta such as whole wheat or kamut over nutritionally inferior white flour pasta.
2. Tomato sauce is actually very healthy, especially if it’s homemade.  If using store bought, choose an organic brand.
3. To boost the nutrient value of the sauce, try adding pureed lentils, butternut squash or broccoli and top with a handful of antioxidant rich dried oregano.  They’ll never know it’s in there, but you will.

If you have a picky eater, things won’t change overnight, but they will change.  


By involving your child in the process and making mealtime fun, you can combat picky eating one meal at a time.   

Guest Post by Liza Huber

*Be sure to stay posted to The Chatty Momma for my review of Sage Spoonfuls, invented by Liza, coming soon!

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