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The experts are divided on whether or not toddlers need a daily multivitamin. To help you make a decision, check out the multiple reasons to give — or not to give — your child a multi.

Whether your toddler has boycotted all green food, or she’ll eat only PB&J sandwiches, you know that getting kids to eat a well-rounded diet isn’t easy. And even if your tot is relatively willing to eat fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods, you may still wonder if she’s getting all the nutrients she needs — or if you should supplement with a daily multivitamin.

It turns out that experts haven’t come to a consensus on whether or not toddlers should take multivitamins, and the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t have an official position on the subject. That means it’s up to you (along with your doctor) to decide what’s best for your growing tot.

Reasons to give your toddler a multi. No matter how hard you try, it’s likely that your toddler isn’t always eating healthy foods. (How can you reason with someone who is convinced that the only foods worth eating are white?) In which case, a daily multivitamin can help fill any nutrition gaps your toddler’s diet may have. You can think of that multi as a little insurance for your toddler and a little peace of mind for you.

Another reason to give your tot a multivitamin: If your toddler has a specific, restricted diet, he may really benefit from getting an extra boost of nutrients. For instance, kids who don’t drink milk because they are lactose intolerant may require extra calcium and vitamin D. And kids who eat a vegan diet (that means no meat, eggs, or dairy products) may need extra vitamins B12 and D, as well as riboflavin, calcium, and iron. In these cases, a multivitamin may be helpful or even needed — and you’d be wise to check in and get your doctor’s opinion, too.

Reasons not to give your toddler a multi. While the extra peace of mind that comes with giving your child a multi should be a good thing, it could cause you to relax a little too much on the nutrition front. Some parents let the multivitamin do what they should be doing, which is feeding their kids a healthy diet. Vitamin supplements should never be viewed as a replacement for nutritious foods because the body absorbs nutrients from foods much more effectively than it absorbs nutrients from supplements. So if you constantly find yourself relying on a multivitamin to counteract the chips your child eats or to make up for the fact that your toddler refuses to eat produce, you need to rethink your strategy.

If you do decide to give your child a multi, consider these tips:

• Buy a multi that’s made for kids. This will give your toddler the right amount of nutrients for her little body.
• Only give your toddler the recommended dose (overdoing it on supplements can be dangerous).
• Don’t call multivitamins candy — this will have your toddler begging for more. (The multi’s cartoon-character shapes are tempting enough without being told they’re a treat.)
• Keep the bottle out of your child’s reach to make sure she can’t take extra doses.
• Continue coaxing your finicky eater toward a healthy well-rounded diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean proteins, and whole grains.