My Kids Are Such Picky Eaters: Is That Normal?

About one in five parents say their young kids are often, shall we say, very selective about their food. So yes, a lot of moms and dads feel your pain. But don't give up. It takes patience to get children to eat new things. You might need to offer something a dozen times before they try it.

And if your child wants to eat only cereal for a week, we don't panic. Just try some tricks to get her to choose more healthy foods on her own. Take your kids grocery shopping, and let them pick out a fruit or vegetable they want to try that week. Let them wash the veggies, stir a sauce, or arrange the food on their plates.

Eating should be fun. Make a magic pink dipping sauce for their veggies. If your child says she's not hungry, don't force or bribe her to eat. See if it helps to cut back on snacks and drinks in between meals.

If she doesn't want what you're serving, resist the urge to make a dinner just for her. Worst case scenario, kids are fine without a meal every now and then.

Most of all, sit down together to share your meals. I mean, if everybody at the table is tasting and loving that salad, your picky eater won't want to be left out for long.