PeaPod Blog

What is Palate Priming?

Acceptance of vegetables and other new foods is a multi-sensory experience for kids. Our goal is to slowly prepare and warm (prime) kids’ senses of smell and taste (derived from the palate) to the acceptance of flavors by early, repeated, and frequent exposures of the palate to those flavors.

Picky Eaters, The Finale!

We’re at the final of our Ten Tips for Getting Kids to Eat More Veggies. The final “E” in our mnemonic is for “EasyPeasie,” and gives us a chance to re-tell you the story of how we started all this dried veggie funny business in the first place! When my sister had to return to work and switch her youngest to formula, we didn’t want to lose the o...

Picky Eaters, Part 9!

Remember that a toddler’s reluctance to try new foods (“food neophobia”) is quite common, and that trial, multi-sensory exploration, and even refusal of food are all part of normal toddler development. Thus, most levels of “picky eater-ness” are normal!

Picky Eaters, Parts 7/8 – Alter texture!

Altering the texture of veggies can be a help to many little ones.  Options are always great to have, and when it comes to the intersection of kids and veggies, this is no exception.  So, thank goodness; there are lots of ways to alter veggie texture :)  Here are a few…

Picky Eaters, Part 5 – No Pressure

Continue to offer your veggies and veggie-hacks – gently.  Don’t get discouraged by their eye-rolls toward, lack of eye contact with, and one arm swipes off the table of the veggies you present.  You can do this and we’ll get ‘em there! 

Picky Eaters, Parts 3 and 4

Remember that as far as palate-priming is concerned, the food exposure does not have to be large or isolated to count.  Mixing EasyPeasie into the sauces, for example, will provide a little extra veggie exposure with every dip (and with Green and Red Blends, add a little fun with color)!

Picky Eaters, Part 2

Try again!  And again!  Make broccoli (or any vegetable for that matter) more common in your household.  Add it to their plates even if you think they won’t eat it.  One day, in the right situation, they may surprise you and eat it! 

Gettin’ Picky With It! Picky Eaters

The first tip for picky eaters is — “Eat it Too!” This one probably doesn’t require explanation, but may require some encouragement :)

Getting Kids to Eat More Veggies!

Families who joined our PeaPod this year received “Dr. Tucker’s Ten Tips for Getting Kids to Eat More Veggies.”  In anticipation of our “Got Picky Eaters?” Facebook Live event this week with Boca VIPediatrics, we’ll now share the tips with all of you — just some food for thought!

SOS! (Save Our Squash!)

Are you a good steward of your food resources?  Stats from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggest that we can all do better! 

The “S” Word

Many families have discovered a secret to getting their kids to eat veggies – “sauce.”  The secret sauce can be anything – ketchup, yogurt, barbecue sauce, mustard, dressing of any sort. 

“My Kid Won’t Eat That…”

Remember that toddlers’ reluctance to try new foods (“food neophobia”) is quite common, and that trial, multi-sensory exploration, and even refusal of food is part of toddler development and evolution.