Meal Time with Picky-Eaters Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

Registered dietitian Mitzi Dulan explains how honey can make veggies go from "yuck" to "yum"

LONGMONT, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2018) - The National Honey Board and Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD have picky-eaters saying, "yes, please," to fruits and vegetables with the simplest inclusion: #JustAddHoney. Dulan, an expert in family nutrition, leveraged honey as a pure and natural, yet delicious, helper to create four wholesome recipes and eight family-friendly tips that turn previously frustrating meals into blissful family time.  

Dulan's recipes and tips showcase how honey's flavor and familiarity enables an easier transition to new foods. For example, the Sweet + Salty Honey Baked Vegetable Medley Fries are fun to eat and give kids (or adult picky-eaters) a nutritional boost. And one notoriously avoided veggie becomes a surprising new favorite with the Honey Mustard Pecan Brussels Sprouts. Most importantly, her tasty recipes are also simple enough to make in a pinch when kids are at their hungriest: after school. 

"Since honey is 100 percent natural and pure, it's a smart option to make fruits and veggies taste better to young palates. The sooner, the better, too," emphasizes Dulan. "Exposing kids to a variety of foods at an early age prevents picky-eating. Starting as early as 12 months old, kids can enjoy fruits and vegetables with honey added as a natural flavor balancer." 

Dulan also recommends involving little ones throughout the meal preparation process. Grocery trips together can be an enjoyable experience and allow kids to choose the vegetables they want for a snack. It's also a great bonding opportunity when kids are back at school and time together is more limited than it was during the summer break. Other tips to help ensure your picky-eater is getting the nutrition they need during the new school year include: 

  • Be a role model: Make sure that you eat a good variety of nutrient-dense food, so your child will see and copy your behavior.
  • Persistence: Be patient with new foods. It can sometimes take 10-20 times of trying a new food before a kid likes it, so keep working at it.
  • Meet them half-way: Try to include one food that they like, but don't create entire meals for your kids. 

For more of Dulan's tips and recipes that will have your little ones reaching for carrots instead of cookies, visit honey.com/blog/how-to-make-picky-eating-a-thing-of-the-past and follow #JustAddHoney on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

About Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD 

Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD, America's Nutrition Expert® and team nutritionist for the World Champion Kansas City Royals Baseball Team is a nationally recognized nutrition and wellness expert who has inspired millions to lose weight and get fit. With her high energy and down-to-earth charm, Dulan passionately motivates her audience to take action. As a Pinterest influencer, she recently authored The Pinterest Diet: How to Pin Your Way Thin. Dulan is co-author of The All-Pro Diet: Lose Fat, Build Muscle, and Live Like a Champion with NFL future Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez, helping people learn how to eat clean to get lean. Mitzi Dulan is a paid spokesperson for the National Honey Board. http://nutritionexpert.com/

About National Honey Board

The National Honey Board (NHB) is an industry-funded agriculture promotion group that works to educate consumers about the benefits and uses for honey and honey products through research, marketing and promotional programs. The Board's work, funded by an assessment on domestic and imported honey, is designed to increase the awareness and usage of honey by consumers, the foodservice industry and food manufacturers. The ten-member-Board, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, represents producers (beekeepers), packers, importers and a marketing cooperative. For more information, visit www.honey.com


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