As parents there are so many things we want to pass on to our children. Being a picky eater is definitely NOT one of those things.

So what happens if you want your kids to be healthy eaters and YOU are a picky eater??? It's not an easy challenge to lead by example when you have a hard time with healthy eating yourself however it's also not mission impossible! How do I know this is true? Because I am still on that path myself and working on becoming a more adventurous eater! I think you would be surprised to learn that there are a lot of picky adults out there, so if you are one, don't worry you're not alone and there's hope!! There are things you can do to get your kids on a path of healthy eating while taking that same journey yourself.

Get Rid of Guilt and Keep Trying

It's so hard to "know" that you need to be setting a good example for your children but at the same time you can barely choke down a Brussels Sprout! The thing about guilt is that it is pointless and just keeps you feeling stuck. Your kids are not doomed and neither are you...it's never too late! Take small steps everyday towards healthy eating, these things add up and turn into a good habit! It takes time and many exposures for your taste buds to get used to something new. It took me two years to finally enjoy red peppers! I started off cutting them up extremely small (about the size of an eraser on a pencil) and would mix them in with food I enjoyed such as pasta sauce and on homemade pizzas. Pairing new foods with old favorites is a great way to train taste buds! Eventually the pepper pieces got bigger and bigger and now I wouldn't think of picking them out of anything I eat! We can work on our own eating habits at the same time as our children...turn it into a fun adventure together. So don't waste any time feeling bad and just starting taking those baby steps with your child!

Watch Your Words and Keep Trying

Try to avoid saying strong statements such as " I HATE broccoli" or "I don't eat ANYTHING green" when you are eating with your kids because you don't want to have them attach those feelings to the foods they are suppose to be eating. The way we talk about food, especially around our kids does affect them, so instead you can try using phrases like "Broccoli isn't my favorite but I'm going to give it another try" or " I'm not used to the taste of spinach yet but I'm working on it!" You don't have to like and pretend you love something when your kids can clearly see you barely choking it down. When my daughter was younger she would say "My tongue isn't friends with that yet" so we would keep introducing whatever it was that she didn't like and most of the time they eventually ended up becoming friends! I think it's good to let your kids know that everyone has likes and dislikes and that's okay as long as we can keep an open mind and keep trying!

Get Creative and Keep Trying

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