Parents will be well acquainted with this particular conundrum: how to make sure a picky toddler gets the nourishment and nutrition that they need. It can be an almost impossible task at times, with a particular food being an all-time favorite one day, but end up hurled onto the floor in disgust the next.
What to do? All kinds of sneaky tricks have been tried, from hiding peas in the mashed potatoes to flying the food directly into the mouth via Spoon Airlines. American model and author Chrissy Teigen came up with her own plan, and it got many parents nodding in approval.
Perhaps the root cause of many toddlers’ pickiness comes from a desire to be involved, to feel grown up and to be a part of the decision-making process. So Teigen decided that’s exactly what she would try with her daughter Luna, making a restaurant-style ‘menu’ for her to choose from, prices and all!
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Here’s a short video of what lucky Luna gets to choose from
I made a restaurant for my 2 and a half year old pic.twitter.com/bqQ40bFQ4F
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 18, 2018
Somebody noticed the prices and asked what was up with that. Teigen, hoping that Luna might learn an important lesson about the value of money and food, explained that it wasn’t real cash she was charging!
Image credits: AJDelgado13
Teigen has become well-known for her culinary skills, having released a couple of best-selling cookbooks
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Here’s what people had to say about her useful parenting tip
Image credits: amyfoxfitness
Image credits: johniadarola
Image credits: linnea4768
Image credits: emesola
Image credits: newsom_carol
Image credits: amelia_perrin
Image credits: janismullan
Image credits: nat_fiorani
Image credits: hi_yazzee
Image credits: BelenPalacios08
Image credits: ayastigii
Image credits: tiffanyytrann_
I always gave two options to mine: Eat....... or starve. Your choice.
My thoughts exactly. Just be glad there's food on the table. I wonder how many "picky toddlers" there are in poorer families and countries. Pity we'll be downvoted to hell soon.
Load More Replies...
I remember watching a program with T Barry Brazelton where he talks about how to get control of children at mealtime. He said to avoid meltdowns, instead of just asking your kid "What do you want for breakfast?" say "We have toast and yogurt, cereal with fruit and milk, or toaster waffles for breakfast. Which one of those would you like?" He explained that you allow the child to have control over his/her choices while keeping the decisions in the realm of what mom or dad can accomplish. I applaud Chrissy for her technique...because I also think that it adds a certain elegance to meals making it more likely to see an empty or nearly empty plate.
Honestly, I use the "What do you want for breakfast" a little too much.. But I liked this idea! And it's not too much work to implement either :) Do you remember the name of the program?
Load More Replies...
I am single working mom who is not really wealthy, quite contrary. This is for privileged people and children, who have a lot of free time and lots of money to be this "creative". Alsp I don't think it's a good idea to give such privileges to little child. I will give the best what I have and my child will eat it, simple as that.
I'm torn.... I think it's a cute and creative idea, but I think most of our parents had neither time nor energy to do these sort of stuff, so we were often never given an option (like others mentioned, "you either eat or starve"). Again, nice idea, I just wonder how this plays on the long run; what is the kid actually learning?. There's no point in the shaming the fact this person has the money to do this, but then again.... aaaaaa idk
In my family, you either ate what was served or didn't eat at all. Mom had neither the time nor the money to mess with more options. I'm not saying that richer families shouldn't offer more choices but seriously? a menu? That's not teaching Luna to be grateful for what she is given/has.
It does teach her that she has power over her own decisions though.
Load More Replies...
Ok, great story, but why are you wearing a strapless dress in a kitchen (not that i mind but it seems a little unsafe)
I have a picky almost 2 year old daughter, what makes matters worse for me is that she is allergic to milk, egg and nuts. I struggle to find something she will eat, at times she is just picky for the sake of giving me a headache because she would say "No" when I try to feed her, and when I take the food away she would cry and want it. It is a real struggle with her. I try searching the internet for recipes but it's very few things that she will eat, even those she eats she will eat today then tomorrow it's another story. I never struggle with her older brother, that boy ate EVERYTHING and made my life so simple. I will have give this method a try and see if it will work.
I was a picky toddler who wouldn't eat ANYTHING given to me. My folks got me to eat what was given to me by letting me help make it. Sort of the thing where things are more appealing if you work for it. Like if I were having pancakes they would have me stir the batter. It did get messy, but I ate, had fun, and now I don't expect my parents to always make food for me. I dunno if this helps, but best of luck!
Load More Replies... 
I like it except that teaching your children that there's always an option is risky because there isn't always an option. Kids need to also understand that we need to be grateful for what we are given, especially when we're not at our own homes. Probably doesn't make a big difference for celebs and their kids who always seem to be offered whatever they want anyways though lol
LOL "dip dip" my kids always called it that, too. Must be a universal kid thing.
I have taught Dip-Dip to at least 4 children. It's totally universal. :)
Load More Replies...
Well I think she just made it fun for her kid, we all have our ways, we don't have to put through world hunger and poverty. It's all about having fun with your own kid. I have 5 kids and I don't always give in to what they don't like, I let them try other options and if they don't like it, I just ask them to eat at least 10 spoons then have fruits or yogurt with crackers for their snacks. If they don't eat broccoli, i chop it to tiny pieces and mix it in spaghetti or if there's a type of fruit they don't like, it will either be baked as a bread or fruit shake. It's all about options and strategies. They should have that healthy kick and then push in some gummy bears and ice cream or donuts or cakes as a treat from time to time.
Still not over how mean she was on Twitter to Tim Allen when Last Man Standing was cancelled. No regard for all those who lost their jobs-
My mom didn't worry about any of this. She told us when we were older that, she new eventually we would grow out of it . So she just substituted something different. Now, the only thing that I still don't like turnips. I'm old and I still can't stand them.
The flaw is you have to have a fridge full of food, and you're either going to eat whatever is left or throw most of it out. Kids will not starve themselves, I like fresh food and I set a plate with one bite of everything I made, once finished they can have more of whatever is on the table.
And another entitled snowflake is grown. Who's the parent in this relation? The mom or the kid? The PARENT makes a nutritious meal, lets the kid know it's time to eat and then the kid can decide if it will eat or not - END OF F*****G DISCUSSION. What is it with people today - they're your kids, it's your responsible to PARENT not be their BUDDY. Of course with todays 20 something crowd, there's not much a of IQ spread between the parent and kid so maybe that's part of the confusion.
I always gave two options to mine: Eat....... or starve. Your choice.
My thoughts exactly. Just be glad there's food on the table. I wonder how many "picky toddlers" there are in poorer families and countries. Pity we'll be downvoted to hell soon.
Load More Replies... I remember watching a program with T Barry Brazelton where he talks about how to get control of children at mealtime. He said to avoid meltdowns, instead of just asking your kid "What do you want for breakfast?" say "We have toast and yogurt, cereal with fruit and milk, or toaster waffles for breakfast. Which one of those would you like?" He explained that you allow the child to have control over his/her choices while keeping the decisions in the realm of what mom or dad can accomplish. I applaud Chrissy for her technique...because I also think that it adds a certain elegance to meals making it more likely to see an empty or nearly empty plate.
Honestly, I use the "What do you want for breakfast" a little too much.. But I liked this idea! And it's not too much work to implement either :) Do you remember the name of the program?
Load More Replies... I am single working mom who is not really wealthy, quite contrary. This is for privileged people and children, who have a lot of free time and lots of money to be this "creative". Alsp I don't think it's a good idea to give such privileges to little child. I will give the best what I have and my child will eat it, simple as that.
I'm torn.... I think it's a cute and creative idea, but I think most of our parents had neither time nor energy to do these sort of stuff, so we were often never given an option (like others mentioned, "you either eat or starve"). Again, nice idea, I just wonder how this plays on the long run; what is the kid actually learning?. There's no point in the shaming the fact this person has the money to do this, but then again.... aaaaaa idk
In my family, you either ate what was served or didn't eat at all. Mom had neither the time nor the money to mess with more options. I'm not saying that richer families shouldn't offer more choices but seriously? a menu? That's not teaching Luna to be grateful for what she is given/has.
It does teach her that she has power over her own decisions though.
Load More Replies... Ok, great story, but why are you wearing a strapless dress in a kitchen (not that i mind but it seems a little unsafe)
I have a picky almost 2 year old daughter, what makes matters worse for me is that she is allergic to milk, egg and nuts. I struggle to find something she will eat, at times she is just picky for the sake of giving me a headache because she would say "No" when I try to feed her, and when I take the food away she would cry and want it. It is a real struggle with her. I try searching the internet for recipes but it's very few things that she will eat, even those she eats she will eat today then tomorrow it's another story. I never struggle with her older brother, that boy ate EVERYTHING and made my life so simple. I will have give this method a try and see if it will work.
I was a picky toddler who wouldn't eat ANYTHING given to me. My folks got me to eat what was given to me by letting me help make it. Sort of the thing where things are more appealing if you work for it. Like if I were having pancakes they would have me stir the batter. It did get messy, but I ate, had fun, and now I don't expect my parents to always make food for me. I dunno if this helps, but best of luck!
Load More Replies... I like it except that teaching your children that there's always an option is risky because there isn't always an option. Kids need to also understand that we need to be grateful for what we are given, especially when we're not at our own homes. Probably doesn't make a big difference for celebs and their kids who always seem to be offered whatever they want anyways though lol
LOL "dip dip" my kids always called it that, too. Must be a universal kid thing.
I have taught Dip-Dip to at least 4 children. It's totally universal. :)
Load More Replies... Well I think she just made it fun for her kid, we all have our ways, we don't have to put through world hunger and poverty. It's all about having fun with your own kid. I have 5 kids and I don't always give in to what they don't like, I let them try other options and if they don't like it, I just ask them to eat at least 10 spoons then have fruits or yogurt with crackers for their snacks. If they don't eat broccoli, i chop it to tiny pieces and mix it in spaghetti or if there's a type of fruit they don't like, it will either be baked as a bread or fruit shake. It's all about options and strategies. They should have that healthy kick and then push in some gummy bears and ice cream or donuts or cakes as a treat from time to time.
Still not over how mean she was on Twitter to Tim Allen when Last Man Standing was cancelled. No regard for all those who lost their jobs-
My mom didn't worry about any of this. She told us when we were older that, she new eventually we would grow out of it . So she just substituted something different. Now, the only thing that I still don't like turnips. I'm old and I still can't stand them.
The flaw is you have to have a fridge full of food, and you're either going to eat whatever is left or throw most of it out. Kids will not starve themselves, I like fresh food and I set a plate with one bite of everything I made, once finished they can have more of whatever is on the table.
And another entitled snowflake is grown. Who's the parent in this relation? The mom or the kid? The PARENT makes a nutritious meal, lets the kid know it's time to eat and then the kid can decide if it will eat or not - END OF F*****G DISCUSSION. What is it with people today - they're your kids, it's your responsible to PARENT not be their BUDDY. Of course with todays 20 something crowd, there's not much a of IQ spread between the parent and kid so maybe that's part of the confusion.
129
47