Do you feel like a short order cook at dinner time? Do you worry about your picky eater getting enough nutritious food? Try letting them help in the kitchen!

If your children help prepare your meals, they are more likely to eat those meals and try new foods. Younger kids can help with simple tasks, including cutting soft foods with butter knives, dumping measured ingredients into bowls and stirring batter with a spoon. Older kids can measure ingredients, set the table and help wash up after dinner.

Here are some other tips to help your fussy eaters try new foods:

Offer small portions, often
Start with just enough to taste, followed by foods they like – but don’t offer dessert as a reward! They will need to taste that new food eight to ten times before they can decide if they really like it, so don’t get discouraged.

Let them help
Let your children shop with you, and ask them to choose something new to try. Ask your kids for help in the kitchen. Kids who help in the kitchen are more likely to eat the meals they prepare. Maybe the mystery of that food is taken away, or maybe they feel invested in the food and want to try it.

Let them grow
In the spring, ask your kids to help you plant fruit and vegetable seeds. Let them help you weed, water and harvest. Children who help grow their food are more likely to eat those foods.

Set a good example
Let your child see how much you enjoy eating healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and grains. Whenever you introduce a new food, make sure that you are eating it, too.

Sept. 13 is Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day, so if you have picky eaters, this might be a great time to try out these tips. Get cookin’!