Fun Food Arrangements

My son is a picky eater. Maybe not so picky as he is just SOOO SLOW to get his whole plate of food downrange.

I tried a little experiment over the course of a few weeks.

Sunshine Arrangement

I would give him normal plates of food, then surprise him here and there with a fun food arrangement. I didn't take a picture of everything I did, however, I can explain the gist of what was done.

- I used cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes out of his sandwiches.
- I made happy faces out of fruits and veggies.
- I created a beach-like scene out of crackers, cheese, etc.
- And, I made a sunshine out of cucumbers, carrots, and ranch dip!  (At least, he thought it was a sunshine, so we called it that!)

I can tell you, he ate his food with much more enthusiasm and speed when his food was arranged in a fun way, instead of the usual grain/protein/veggie boringness.

When I have a spare few minutes, I try to remember to arrange his food in a fun way. If I remember to do so, he is excited, looks at meal time in a fun way, and we're not stuck at the dinner table for an hour (or sometimes longer...)

Give it a try! Be creative, and see if it helps your child to enjoy meal time more.