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Many toddlers express their budding independence through eating - or not eating! All toddlers are picky eaters for the most part. If the toddler doesn't like the food, he/she won't eat it, plain and simple. You can steer toddlers toward healthy eating but you have to do it a crafty non-intrusive way.

Make food in fun size pieces and portions, nothing overwhelming. Offer an ounce of each item to start. No more than three items. Whether it's graham crackers, applesauce and a piece of cheese OR a chicken nugget, corn and diced pears - limit it to small amounts. It's natural for a toddler to prefer one item over another but only offer the same amount of everything. This makes a toddler have to try a variety of foods if he wants to feel full. Don't worry if they refuse everything, a toddler will not starve. Eventually they will eat, I promise. It may be heartbreaking but any pediatrician will tell you that it's perfectly normal.

Avoid giving children the same food on daily basis, even if they really like it. You choose the menu - so you choose the variety of foods the child gets to eat. I always suggest putting at least three things on their plate to eat but never a dessert item. Dessert items like cookies, pudding and fruit snacks should be given after a meal but not as a reward. For example don't tell the toddler "If you eat all your peas you can have a cookie," this doesn't encourage healthy eating. Desserts are a reward, don't get me wrong but don't offer it as incentive. Don't even mention there's dessert, if the children consume their meal then go ahead and give a dessert without making a fuss. Never use the dessert as a tool or a means of trying to get children to eat something less tasteful.

Playing with their food is just a toddlers way of exploring their world. As long as they are not throwing or spitting it everywhere, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Toddlers are messy eaters and that's just a fact of life so it's better not to make a big deal when they do it.

Frustration is something that all infants, toddlers and children can sense, so avoid getting frustrated.....it's only a meal. There's more meals where that came from so don't get yourself all worked up and more importantly don't yell! It's really not a big deal, it's just about repetition and consistently serving a variety of foods. Your child will not starve. So just relax.

To ensure good nutrition in your child and that they grow up healthy, they will need to eat a large variety of foods. The amount of foods that they eat is much less important. Remember that your child's appetite may decrease and become pickier over the next few years as his growth rate slows. As long as they are gaining weight and have a normal activity level, then you have little to worry about. You can still offer them a variety of foods, but can decrease the serving sizes if they don't eat a lot.

Grain group servings include 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, and 1 ounce of ready to eat cereal. Your child should eat 6 servings from this group.

Vegetable group servings include 1/2 cup of chopped or raw vegetables, or 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables. Your child should eat 3 servings from this group.

Fruit group servings include 1 piece of fruit or melon wedge, 3/4 cup of 100% fruit juice, 1/2 cup of canned fruit, or 1/4 cup of dried fruit. Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

Milk groupservings include 1 cup of milk or yogurt or 2 ounces of cheese. Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

Meat group servings include 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish, 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans. You can substitute 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1 egg for 1 ounce of meat. Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

Breakfast:
1 Scrambled Egg w/ Cheese
1/2 whole wheat toast w/spray butter
4-6 oz. 100% Fruit Juice (apple, grape, orange, cranberry, etc)

Morning Snack:
3 oz. Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt
1-2 Full Graham Cracker(s)
water

Lunch:
1/2 sandwich-tuna, egg salad, peanut butter, or cold cuts
1/2 cup cooked broccoli (lighted salted or buttered)
1/2 applesauce
(I use the Gerber Applesauce because it has no sugar and it's fortified with Vitamin C)
4-6 oz of Milk

Afternoon Snack:
pretzels
1 oz cheddar cheese
water

Breakfast:
1/2 cup Whole Grain Cereal with Milk
1/2 Cup Blueberries

Morning Snack:
1/2 Banana
1/2 Bagel with Cream Cheese
4 oz. of 100% Fruit Juice

Lunch:
1/2 - 1 Slice Cheese Pizza
1/2 cup diced or cubed cooked squash
1/2 cup milk

Afternoon Snack:
1/2 cup Sliced Apples
2 Graham Crackers
Water

Breakfast:
1 Waffle w/ Spray butter & Sugar Free Syrup
4-6 oz Milk

Morning Snack:
3 oz. Lowfat Peach Yogurt
1-2 Full Graham Cracker
water

Lunch:
4-6 Saltine Crackers
4-6 Turkey Pepperoni Slices
4-6 Slices Chedder Cheese
2-3 Black Olives
4-6 oz 100% Fruit Juice

Afternoon Snack:
1/2 Cup Applesauce
1 Cup Pretzels

Breakfast:
1/2 Banana Muffin
3 oz Lowfat Strawberry Yogurt
Water
Morning Snack:
1 Piece Whole Wheat Toast w/ Peanut Butter
4-6 oz Milk

Lunch:
1/2 - 1 Hot Dog w/ Ketchup
1/2 Cup Baby Carrots w/ 1 Tbsp Ranch Dressing
4-6 oz 100% Fruit Juice

Afternoon Snack:
Fruit Salad: Sliced Strawberries, Bananas, Watermelon
Water

Breakfast:
Sand Dollar Pancakes w/ Sugar Free Syrup
1/2 Cup Sliced Strawberries
4-6 oz Milk

Morning Snack:
1/2 Cup Honey Nut Cheerios
1/2 Banana
water

Lunch:
1/2 sandwich-tuna, egg salad, peanut butter, or cold cuts
1/2 cup Corn Niblets (lighted salted or buttered)
1/2 Applesauce
4-6 oz 100% Fruit Juice

Afternoon Snack:
1/2 Cup Fruit Cocktail
1 Cup Wheat Thins
Water