"I don't like it!" may be a common sentiment expressed at the dinner table when you eat with a toddler, but getting a little one to eat doesn't have to be an epic battle. First, try to get to the bottom of why she is refusing food. From when they begin to talk until they are capable of making their own choices, they may want to assert their independence by turning their noses up at food - the dinner table may be one of the only places when they feel they have a chance to exercise that independence. Experts do not recommend bribing kids who won't eat the healthy stuff with dessert - you'll teach them to expect a reward whenever they do something they don't want to. But one unconventional way to get kids to eat at least a little dinner is to serve a small portion of dessert at the same time you serve dinner.