Help for picky eaters and moms who hate to cook.

D.W. the Picky Eater (Arthur)

Many families struggle with picky eaters.  Maybe that's why our family really loves the tale of "D.W. the Picky Eater (Arthur)"

The picky eater dilemma can be overwhelming in families with children with a sensory processing disorder.

These kids are super sensitive to textures, tastes, temperatures and meal time can be very distressing to them. Trying to get sensitive kids to eat a diverse range of healthy foods can be extremely challenging.

Preparing foods can be a draining chore for the adults in the household, especially  knowing that the food might not be well-received.

There are some great tips for managing food sensitivities caused by oral defensiveness associated with sensory processing disorder, though useful for a broad range of picky eaters.

Here is one more trick in the tool bag to help beleaguered parents of picky eaters: The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals

It does sound dreamy doesn't it? Kids eating healthy stuff they can't detect in food that they won't complain about eating??

Grab the book from your library or bookstore and ponder the details outlined here:

Learn 13 Strategies for Sneaking Healthy Foods into Kid Friendly Dishes

1. Add pureed nutritious foods
2. Combine refined ingredients with unrefined
3. Use foods that hide well (don't change color, texture, or taste)
4. Substitute nutritious liquid for water when boiling foods
5. Combine foods that are nutritionally complementary
6. Identify nutritious foods that kids will enjoy on their own
7. Alter the cooking method to avoid frying
8. Cut the effects of toxins or fats by diluting with something healthier
9. Cut calories and increase volume with low-cal, nutritious fillers
10. Use slower-burning foods to avoid blood sugar "spike and crash"
11. Add visual decoys to make food look appealing and fun
12. Use kid-friendly flavor decoys to distract kids from what's underneath
13. Use kid-friendly texture decoys

Learn 13 Recipes for "make ahead" juices, purees, breading, and blends to add to foods

Learn 12 Foods to always buy organic

It's certainly worth a try. Now granted, you might have to sneak things in slowly for the kids with super-human powers of detection.

My son could always tell if the milk came from a different store (or maybe a different cow!). One mom told me about a kid who could tell which bottling plant processed the soda just by the taste.

For the man in your life here is The Sneaky Chef: How to Cheat on Your Man (In the Kitchen!): Hiding Healthy Foods in Hearty Meals Any Guy Will Love