Feeding picky eaters

There are few things less disheartening than scraping a nice meal into the bin after the kids won't eat it. It's a waste of time and money. That's why I asked around to get some advice about what other people do to get picky eaters to the table. Here's a quick list of suggestions designed to save money (and sanity!)

1. Cut it into a funny shape. Cheryl uses a pig-shaped biscuit cutter to make "piggy" ham sandwiches for her grandkids. Apparently, they scoff them down.
2. Cam says that her son likes picking up food with sticks. Chopsticks are an old favourite - here's a website that shows you how to make a pair of training chopsticks. Other times, Cam chops the food into bite sized pieces and gives Eli a toothpick to pick it up with. (What is it about sticks and kids?) Probably not a good idea for tiny toddlers - no one wants to lose an eye at dinner.
3. Melissa says that sauce is her secret. And mayo. And hummus. And peanut paste. And guacamole. Basically anything that little fingers can use for dipping. Her two-year old twins are crazy about dipping baby carrots, broccoli and slices of apple.
4. Nick says that the key is to put the food on your own plate. His son Oscar will try anything if he thinks he's missing out on something special.
5. My own observation is that kids eat more heartily when they're involved in the preparation process. That can include growing the food and/or cooking it. Whenever my kids are eating homegrown veg or meals they've helped to cook, they're usually more enthusiastic about dinner time. Understanding what goes into meal preparation also seems to make them more appreciative of other people's cooking.