We've all met somebody who's a picky eater; in fact we were probably that way at some point during our lives. Most kids are picky and a lot of times it can be frustrating to try and get them to eat something that's actually good for them. I don't have kids, but I've babysat my nieces enough to know that dealing with a picky eater can be ... challenging. I was remembering my experiences with babysitting and I came up with a few tips that can hopefully get your picky eater to eat. They worked for my nieces and I hope they work for you too!

Don't make them eat something that you won't eat.
Kids will model the behavior of their babysitter, parent, or caregiver so why should they eat an orange slice if you won't. Try to make something that both of you can enjoy together. This will show your child that it's okay because you eat it.

Involve them in the planning and preparing of the meal.
I found that when I would let my nieces choose things they wanted to eat, (from a limited list of options, I'm a babysitter not a restaurant) and had them help me prepare it, they were more willing to eat it. Kids like to be involved and if they can help cook and choose the menu they will eat more.

Get a little creative.
If your picky eater is anything like mine, sometimes the usual "tricks" don't work. Get creative. Turn meal time in to play time. Keep in mind, these games might only work with a younger child. My niece would take three bites of a sandwich and say she was done. So we would play a game. I would ask her if she could eat a bite for me, for her mom, her cats etc. She would unwillingly do it at first, but eventually she would name people and things on her own and would finish her lunch with no problem. Sometimes this wouldn't work so we would play a game called monster. My niece would pretend that she was a monster and that her food was people, or buildings and she would try and eat them all. I think this was her favorite game.

Make food fun.
A lot of kids get bored with their food, so make food less boring. Arrange veggies in a smiley face, make fruit balls and put them in a bowl, or slice fruit into different shapes. Kids will be intrigued and will want to eat the fun food.

There are a lot of different recipes for fun foods; if you look you'll find something to help your picky eater eat.

Don't get mad and stay patient.
Like I said earlier, a picky eater can be frustrating. It's hard to get them to try and like new foods. But be patient, eventually you'll find a method that works for you. Don't get upset if they don't like every new food that you present them with. It takes time and they will come around. Keep at it and soon your picky eater will be an adventurous eater!