"Picky Eater" Tips

I get this question ALL the time! How do you get your kids to eat foods like this? (This is vegan borscht btw)
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Let's talk about "picky eating." Your child has suddenly become a "picky eater." What do you do? First, I don't like to use the word "picky" as it has a negative connotation. Children often overhear the word being used & can sense frustration from the parent. It's also helpful to know that kids tend to be on a spectrum of cautious to adventurous which can be generalized to other areas (ie their play & social interactions etc).
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When your child rejects a food, do not react. You as the caregiver decide what & when they eat, and the child decides if & how much. The problem with submitting to your child's request for any food they want is that it will create a lifelong cycle of you being a short-order chef. While they may begin to choose what they would like to eat when they get older, now is not the time. That's not to say that you present a meal that is completely new to them, but simply choose what you would serve to your entire family rather than trying to tailor it to each person.
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The important thing is to keep exposing your child to the food. Keep in mind that changing the way it's presented can entice the child to eat (roasting, steaming, etc) The language you use to present food is important. Your excitement will influence your child's perspective on the food. I.e, instead of calling this "borscht,” this is "Pink Unicorn” 🦄 Soup that all the fairies and gnomes of the forest secretly make & they shared their recipe with me! If they are still hesitant to try it, don't react but simply say, "I have some crackers that you may dip into the soup if you want" & then model that for them.