Just between us, moms: picky eating is frustrating. And unfair! I used to think, why me? Why my child? I ate everything as a kid and asked for seconds.

As a stay-at-home mom for over two years, I used to spend half the day cooking; and the other half, trying to convince my toddler to try at least one of the 3 to 4 options I had cooked for the day. Most meals would not pass the “appearance test” if they were green, red, orange, or yellow. White and brown colors had a much better chance of passing muster. And if they passed the “appearance” test, they would most certainly fail the “texture test.” Cold, wet, and slippery solids were out of the question. Most foods, with the exception of white, single-texture carbohydrates (i.e. rice, pasta, bread), were rejected.

I used to hold my breath as I watched his reaction to food, praying that he would like at least one of the options I had prepared. There were some days when I threw in the towel. So many other moms used to tell me, “Don’t worry, he’s not going to starve to death. Just wait it out. He will eat when he’s hungry.” But it seemed to me that it would take a miracle for my son to want to eat food, unless it was bread. So, I worried and secretly obsessed about making sure that he ate enough, and that he ate healthy. I used to turn on the TV while trying to feed him, which worked, but only temporarily, and then, made things worst. I wish I knew back then what I know now. But, of course, hindsight is always 20/20!

The main thing my husband and I wish we did differently with our first son is to let him participate in, or even take the lead on, his meal preparation. It’s so simple that many parents think it must be a myth. But if you think about it, smelling, touching, feeling, and tasting food ingredients is really the only way for a child to understand what the final product is made of. Before we let our son cook with us, he used to be afraid to put food in his mouth. Cooking together has made his fear disappear and helped him reach many developmental milestones. Not to mention, it became his favorite hobby!

In fact, this simple trick worked for us so well that we committed to sharing our techniques and recipes with everyone. Our app, Picky Chefs, will soon be available at the Apple Store.

We hope that you will read on, and share your questions, comments, success stories, and pictures with us! Bon appétit!