Share Your Mealtime Secrets

How do you get your children to eat? Share your creative ideas here; just leave a comment! Here are some fun ideas to get your started:

• "I have a picky eater won't even eat spaghetti sometimes. It seems if I give her the option to add 'cheese sprinkles' (aka: grated Parmesan cheese) to her spaghetti then she gobbles it right up!"
• "I serve my son's food in a special dish that has a character he likes a lot on the bottom. The food covers it up, so I tell him to find the character and he usually will make it to the bottom (eating most of his food in the process)."
• "My daughter is very reluctant to try new foods, and sometimes is in a 'mood' where she doesn't want to eat even her favorite food. To encourage her to eat I tell her she must at least try one bite of each food. If she doesn't' like a food that is fine (we don't all like everything we eat). If I serve the same item at another meal in the future she has to try it then, too (as to prevent her from eating only her favorites all the time). She usually complies and will taste things. She has even started to like things she told me she hated! My sister-in-law calls this a 'No Thank You' bite."
• "We place the place in front of our child and if he chooses to not eat then he loses the privilege of future snacks, deserts, etc until he tries his food. Sometimes he refuses to taste anything, so we place the plate in the refrigerator until he gets hungry. Then when he is hungry he gets the same plate again. If he refuses again, we put it away and when he is hungry we offer him the plate again. The longest this has gone on has been 24 hours, after which he gladly eats the food (and usually comments on how yummy it is). Kids won't starve themselves, and if they are truly hungry they will eat."

What are your secrets? Do you have something fun or clever that you do at home to promote healthy eating, trying new foods, or just eating food in general? Share your ideas!