Are you a parent struggling to get your kid to eat healthy? Picky eaters in any household can be a headache, for both child and adult. Some kids don’t like certain tastes and textures or they simply refuse to try anything new. At dinner time, it can be exhausting to get them to eat their veggies and you probably just want to give in and give them fried chicken. To avoid stress for you and the child and to make meal time fun again, here are some steps you can consider.
Don’t just say, do
Sure, you’re telling your child to finish his veggies but are you doing the same? Children are more observant than adults give them credit. They see and pick up our own habits towards food. Are you eating foods rich in fibre? Hydrating enough? Complaining about weight gain? If you want to fix your kid’s attitude towards healthy eating, make sure you’re doing the same for yourself.
Start small
Get your child acquainted with new, healthy foods at a gradual pace. It’s not like you can serve your kid a bowl of kale salad and fully expect them to give it their stamp of approval. Quite literally, try “Tiny Tastes.” This is a tasting game in which children try small bites of foods they don’t normally like and they receive stickers for it. After a nibble or two, they’ll get used to these foods and soon, even like it. It takes a lot of patience, but you and your kid will get there.
Sweet veggies
Is your child ready to try arugula? Are you? If vegetables are not regular meal components, you can start out with sweeter and starchier vegetables and save the bitter greens for later. Some great examples are potatoes, corn, carrots, peas and sweet potatoes. Offer up a small serving at meals and soon, they’ll be ready to level up to bitter veggies.
Get sneaky
This method is also helpful for adults who are picky eaters. It’s not as helpful or as honest as genuinely getting picky eaters to try out new, healthy foods, but it could be good way to get things started. Sneak vegetables and other healthy foods into favourite dishes, such as making a vegetable puree and adding into other foods.
Dips and sauces
Not a fan of fruits? Maybe some apple slices with nut butter could make snack time easier. Dips, sauces, dressings and toppings can seem to magically turn the most boring of foods into something fun and delicious. Broccoli with melted cheese, green beans with bacon and carrots with hummus are just some simple, but tasty ideas you could try out. Soon after, you’ll be able to get picky eaters to enjoy them without these additions.
Involvement
Get those picky eaters involved in the kitchen. Kids especially get motivation when they feel like they’re involved. It also serves as extra family bonding time. They can do something as simple as stirring, sorting or washing. When they see the healthy meal they’ve helped to prepare, they might just be excited enough to eat it.
