I discovered a few important things since I last reported on bribing my preschooler with dinosaur toys to get him to try new foods:

It is not truly a “bribe” it is an “incentive” (I don’t comprehend why, see meaning of bribe.)

Maybe my option of prize was as well weak

My strong-willed kid is immune to this type of tactic

Whitney as well as her seven-year old child felt strongly that the toy dinosaurs were not sufficient to move the needle on Sawyer’s eating. They enthusiastially suggested that I utilize a bag of star Cookies from Trader Joe’s as a new motivator. As you can see above, I put the dessert-prize in front of him each dinner as well as let him understand which foods he had to try for every one.

At barely three-years old, he seemed to completely grok the experiment as well as was commonly inspired to try sufficient food for at least one cookie. however he never tried sufficient foods for more than one cookie. Again, I believe he ate what he was going to try anyway.

One night, he ate ordinary PASTA for a cookie. While that seems like a overall gimme, most nights he will eat zero pasta, so I’ll phone call it a win. He almost nibbled the fig he selected at the grocery store, however didn’t.

The OMG-HE-ATE-MEAT award goes to the night he ate dinosaur poultry bites slathered with cream cheese as well as ketchup. I’ll roll with that. Ironically, he wouldn’t touch the tomatoes he chosen from our garden while singing a tune from Daniel Tiger’s community about trying new foods!

One night he willingly ate blueberries for a treat. It seems basic, however it was a huge deal.

The final night, I offered him a DONUT for finishing his dinner. instead of being motivated, he called me stupid as well as lost his possibility at dessert for a manners infraction (despite eating the breaded-frozen fish spread with cream cheese as well as ketchup).

I provide up!

My biggest lesson: I will now keep cream cheese as well as ketchup at the prepared for all future meat attempts (and let him eat pancakes with faces up until he outgrows it)!

I would motivate other parents of picky eaters to make a “Will Eat” listing to keep in mind the {good} stuff that is on the restricted menu. It may make us feel better. While I’ve had a great deal of fun collecting data on my child’s eating habits (or lack thereof), I want to back off of experimenting on him for the time being.

[All pictures are from Heather Flett: all rights reserved]