Sometimes, it feels like getting your kids to try new and healthy foods is as likely as seeing Tom and Jerry make peace. As human beings, we all love to eat and share food, but our palates certainly change from the time when we were tots to when we reached full adulthood. However, this fact shouldn’t prevent you from introducing new foods to your kids while they’re growing. On one hand, you want to applaud this sign that your baby is exerting some control and self- reliance. On the other hand, this picky eating can also make mealtime a bit monotonous when you’re only giving your child what she wants to eat.
As long as you’re not solely feeding your child cheese puffs and Chef Boyardee, rest assured that food ruts like these aren’t harmful to their health in the long-run. At the same time, it’s critical to serve more nutritionally diverse dishes in order to start broadening your child’s culinary horizons. Here are just a few ways to entice your tots to try something new (and healthy!).
Variety is Key
While your toddler’s list of approved foods may be limited to three or four different things, always be sure to encourage him or her to explore something new. For example, colourful foods like fruits and vegetables can catch a child’s eye and make a new dish look more interesting (therefore more appetising). Encourage your child to pick up the unfamiliar foods, touch them, and smell them. Eventually, these foods will become more familiar. Be sure to include at least one food you know your tot loves, but if he or she refuses, don’t make a big deal out of it. Forcing kids to try new things may make them grow to resent them in the future.
Believe it or not, one of the best ways to get variety into your child’s diet (and yours) may be ordering takeaway food from local restaurants. Instead of limiting yourself to what’s available at the market or if you’re not comfortable with making new recipes at home, takeaway menus offer many options that make trying new foods fun. If your child is able, have him or her pick a kind of cuisine or random restaurant from Hungry House and see what their menu offers. Items like steamed vegetable dumplings and satay chicken are typically favourites for the kids.
Don’t Give Up on the First Try
One of the most common mistakes parents make is believing that if their child doesn’t like a food the first time around, then they will not ever like it. But keep in mind that your toddler just may be wary of the new food when they first see it. While this doesn’t mean you should try to serve the same new food every meal, the more familiar a food becomes to your child, the more likely he or she will want to take the leap and taste it. Whether it takes three tries or twenty- three, patience is key when trying to get picky eaters to try new foods.
If your persistence isn’t paying off, consider serving the new foods in different ways. Take carrots, for example. If serving them steamed creates a mushy texture your child doesn’t like, try serving them raw, crunchy carrots instead. Yoghurt is another tricky food that sometimes has trouble reaching a kid’s favourite foods list. Plain Greek yoghurt may be too tart for your tot’s taste buds. Think about mixing in a bit of honey or some of their favourite fruits to make it more appetising. Chobani, for example, offers several delicious yoghurt combinations to choose from. Take your child with you next time you go to the supermarket and pick out some flavours you think they’ll love.
Make It Fun
Getting your kids to try something they’re really not into is one of the biggest challenges for parents. And when it comes to food, “no” becomes the most popular word at the dinner table. Kids first experience new foods with their eyes, not their mouths. Simply cutting a sandwich into four pieces may not be enough to please them. Get creative and cut the sandwich into fun shapes with cookie cutters or give the sandwich a face by adding a cherry tomato for the nose, sliced cucumbers for the eyes, and shredded yellow squash for the smile. Getting your child to eat healthier foods doesn’t always have to be a challenge. Whenever your child tries something new, make sure to praise them and let them know how proud you are of them. Whether it’s takeout food or homemade sandwiches, there are plenty of creative ways to encourage your tots to live healthier lifestyles.
a post inspired by By One Media
How cute is that giraffe sandwich? I’ll refuse to make one for Amy, though. She’ll want one every day, haha.
Fab post for everyone with a fussy eater. My only problem with Amy is getting her to eat meat. She only likes mince meat and bratwurst 😀 So German and so frustrating!