• Home
  • Cooking
  • Frugal Living
  • Home Management
  • Homeschooling
  • Real Life

The Happy Housewife™ :: Cooking

Where Martha Meets Real Life

  • Menu Plan
  • Recipes
  • Meal Planning
  • Food
    • Food Talk
    • Real Food
  • Kitchen
    • Kitchen Tips
    • My Kitchen
  • Archives

Picky Eater Reward Chart

by Toni Herrbach

  • Share
  • Pin

Why I created the Picky Eater Reward Chart…

My kids thought they disliked fruits and vegetables. Each child had a few favorites, but as a whole they’d squirm and grimace when something green in color was on their plate.

Years ago I made it my goal to change this in my kids. I wanted them to like a variety of healthy foods, and actually smile when they see a piece of broccoli on their plate.

At the time I was resorting to hiding fruits and veggies in other foods in an attempt to trick them into eating the good stuff. It worked, but they didn’t develop a taste for healthier foods. 

One day, out of complete desperation, I developed a plan. I decided to pay my kids to try new foods. Laugh at me if you will, but sometimes crazy works.

Every day I introduced a few fruits and vegetables. If they tried the food I pay them a dime. (this was 10 years ago) Yes I am cheap, and my older kids  laughed when I told them about the pay out, but it worked.

I created a list with my kids names at the top and the fruits and veggies down the left side. When they tried a food we put either a y (like it) or n (don’t like it) in the box under their name. I kept track of which foods were tried and I ended up with a running list of healthy foods my kids liked. 

Some of the items on the list were foods we ate regularly but certain kids refused to try them. Others are items I never buy because I don’t like them. My husband was excited about this plan until I informed him that grown-ups don’t get paid for trying new foods.

Our first food was yellow pepper. My child who loves yellow peppers was excited to earn an easy dime. The other kids were not as enthused.

Next up, sweet potato and broccoli. The broccoli was a big thumbs up, but the sweet potato was not a winner for most of the kids.

Another day we tried strawberries and blueberries. My kids eat a lot of strawberries in smoothies, but don’t eat fresh ones very often.

The blueberries were a flop. No one liked them. At least they will eat the blueberries in smoothies. The strawberries earned a thumbs up.

Do you have a picky eater? 

Encourage your child to eat healthy foods by using this reward chart.  Initially I created this chart in Microsoft Word, but since then have turned it into a pretty PDF you can download, print and even hang it on your fridge.

Fill in the extra spaces with specific foods you’d like to help your child eat.  It’s important to allow your child to help you think of the reward.

While I paid my kids, you can use stickers, small prizes, or even screen time as a reward for trying new things. The more your child is involved the more successful you’ll be!

Download your FREE Picky Eater Reward Chart

Encourage your children to try new foods with this printable chart. 



Comments | Be the first!

« Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Fast Five Meals »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




STAY UPDATED!

Get every article delivered to your inbox!

CONNECT WITH ME

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Get a FREE Trial

Simplify your busy life with eMeals

Latest Posts

  • How to Cut Warm Brownies – So they don’t fall apart
  • Reconstituting Frozen Mashed Potatoes
  • Easy Black Bean Soup
  • Hot Chocolate Mix
  • Crockpot Beef Tips Sliders
  • Can You Freeze Pumpkin?
  • Homemade English Muffins

Save on Groceries!

Print Free Coupons

Favorite Recipes

  • Apple Butter Stuffed French Toast
  • Butternut Squash Soup
  • Cranberry Cheese Ball
  • Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
  • Meatloaf Cupcakes
  • Roasted Almonds with Pumpkin Pie Spice & Honey
  • Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker

STAY UPDATED!

Get every article delivered to your inbox!

FEATURED

Pantry inventory worksheets

Frugal Pantry Inventory Check List

5 Simple ways to menu plan

5 Simple Ways to Menu Plan

CONNECT WITH ME

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

Copyright © 2025 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316

Privacy Policy

HOME | CONTACT | ADVERTISING & PR | DISCLOSURE | PRIVACY POLICY

© 2025 – TheHappyHousewife.com. All rights reserved. | Design by Joy @ Five J's Design | Site maintenance by Klong Designs