Meal prepping for picky eaters can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! For many parents, figuring out how to meet nutritional needs while catering to a selective palate is a daily struggle.
By learning how to meal prep effectively, you can save time, reduce waste, and help your child develop a healthier relationship with food—all while maintaining your sanity.
This guide is here to show you how to make meal prepping easier, even for the pickiest eaters. We’ll explore the role of meal prepping to reduce picky eating, practical tips to start meal prepping, and easy kid-approved meal ideas!
Ready to tackle picky eating one meal at a time? Let’s dive in!
Why Meal Prepping Helps with Picky Eaters
1. Saves time: Meal prepping for picky eaters eliminates the nightly scramble of figuring out what to cook. Even if you only meal prep one element of a meal, it can cut prep time in half.
2. Reduces decision fatigue: For both you and your kids! The classic “what do you want for dinner?” is tiring and might even contribute to the picky eating.
Kids don’t always know how to verbalize their cravings or remember types of foods. Which is why they might request the same food on repeat!
3. Less nightly battles: Although it won’t be easy at first, your picky eater will eventually get used to the idea of a “set menu”. You can be considerate of their food preferences and hunger levels without the last minute negotiations and power struggles.
4. Strategic method to reverse picky eating: Meal prepping gives you a better structure to your child’s overall picky eating journey. If you’re constantly making last-minute food decisions, it’s difficult to use picky eating tactics and tips.
Meal prepping helps implement a clear strategy to actually see changes!
Meal Prepping Strategies for Success
Prep Elements Rather Than Full Meals
This is the most important and game changing strategy I recommend to every parent!
Instead of prepping full meals, make-ahead 2-3 sources of each meal element – protein, vegetables/fruits, and carbohydrates. See the table below for examples and combinations.
This works wonders for a ton of reasons:
- Keeps the planning part simple. Instead of 5 recipes with 20 ingredients each, pick 2-3 proteins, vegetables/fruit, and carbohydrates. Mix and match all week!
- Prevents repetitive meals. Because you can mix and match meal elements all week, you don’t have to eat the exact same meal every day.
- Ideal for picky eaters who need separate foods. Picky eaters can sometimes get overwhelmed by a big casserole or soup with all the ingredients mixed together. Making just the elements can help you adjust for each family member’s needs.
- Less prep but still saves time. You don’t need to prep for 4 hours on Sunday! If you prep just the elements of the meal that takes the longest, you can still cut week-day prep
Involve Your Child
Getting your picky eater involved in the prep process can make a big difference in their food acceptance. It gets them excited about food, shows them positive food experiences without pressure, and teaches them about new foods!
They can help you brainstorm food options, go grocery shopping with you, and take part in simple meal prep tasks like washing produce, measuring ingredients, or practice knife skills with a kid-safe knife.
Continue to Serve Safe Foods
Always include at least one “safe food” your child reliably eats with each meal. This ensures they feel comfortable at the table and reduces mealtime stress. Pairing safe foods with new items also encourages exploration while keeping the meal approachable.
Offer a Boring Back-Up Meal
Kids won’t always want what you’ve meal prepped. To avoid feeling like a restaurant taking your child’s order every night, have a back up option ready.
This back up meal should intentionally be unappealing, boring, and easy to make/pre-prepped. For example, yogurt with fruit, cheese sticks, apple and peanut butter, or deli roll ups.
Use Dips and Sauces
Dips and sauces are a great way to add variety to the same meal-prepped food. They also provide an opportunity to sneak in extra nutrition by blending veggies into hummus or yogurt-based dips.
Plus, offering a familiar dip can encourage kids to try new foods when paired together.
Simple Meal Prepping Ideas for Picky Eaters
If you’re taking the meal prep “elements” route (which I highly recommend), here are some kid-free meal elements to mix and match:
| Protein | Vegetables & Fruits | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken tenders Turkey meatballs Hard-boiled eggs Yogurt Egg cups Turkey slices Baked shrimp Edamame Ham slices Mini beef sliders Salmon bites Pulled chicken Baked fish sticks Black beans Lentils Hummus Cheese cubes Turkey bacon Pork tenderloin Roasted chickpeas | Baby carrots Cucumber slices Cherry tomatoes Bell pepper strips Snap peas Broccoli florets Steamed green beans Apple slices Banana chunks Orange wedges Grapes Blueberries Strawberries Watermelon cubes Pineapple chunks | Mini bagels Whole-grain crackers Pita bread Rice cakes Tortillas Pasta Quinoa Couscous Brown rice Sweet potato cubes Whole-grain muffins Oatmeal Breadsticks Mashed potatoes English muffins |
If you want planned meal ideas, these are some of my easy go-to options!
Breakfast:
- Mini egg muffins served with fruit
- Apple pie protein overnight oats
- Yogurt parfaits with granola and berries
- Whole-grain waffles or pancakes with nut butter
- Breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs, cheese, turkey sausage, and veggies
- Breakfast Muffins
- Chocolate chip baked oats
- English muffin breakfast sandwiches with egg and cheese
Lunch and Dinner:
- Homemade hummus with pita bread and veggie sticks
- Ham and cheese sliders (with hawaiian rolls) with apple slices
- Pasta salad with veggies and shredded chicken
- Stir fry: rice, soy sauce, chicken, veggies of choice, scrambled egg
- Meatballs with hidden veggies served with pasta or rice
- Peanut butter and jelly pinwheels (or sunflower butter alternative)
- High protein guacamole with veggies and crackers
- Chicken and cheese quesadillas served with fruit
- Pizza bagels served with veggies or fruit
- Vegetarian black bean and sweet potato patties served on a bun and fries or veggies
Snacks & Sweet Treats:
- No bake chocolate steel cut oat bars
- Yogurt bark with toppings of choice
- Nut-free protein balls
- Chocolate peanut butter banana bites
- Maple banana muffins
Meal Prep Storage Tips
Don’t let the organization and logistics of meal prepping overwhelm you! You don’t need any of the fancy matching containers or cute jars. But they can be helpful if you want to dive in!
My most recommended tools for meal prepping include:
- 4 Compartment Bento Box
- Divided Container with Sauce Cups
- Souper Cubes (freezes individual portion sizes)
- Vegetable Chopper
I also highly recommend labeling specific meals, especially those that go in the freezer or are intended for a specific family member. Not only does it keep you organized, but it prevents food waste!
Feeding picky eaters is a journey, not a sprint, and it’s okay if progress feels slow. Keep experimenting with new foods, involve your kids in the process, and remember that patience is key.
If you need more personalized help with making nutritious meals for your family, let’s work together! Schedule your free 10-minute consultation with me today to get your game plan started.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I will receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. For more information, please read my Terms of Use and Service.