Children are naturally stubborn, especially when it comes to anything food related. Getting those children to eat healthy is obviously a strenuous task for most parents. Most of the children like eating junk food, but that is obviously unhealthy for them. A healthy diet is all you need to nourish their physical and mental health.
Instead of forcing them to eat healthy, you should come up with new ideas of encouraging them to eat without causing much hassle. Here are some tips to deal with your children’s picky eating habits.
Make the food attractive:
Children love colorful things. Prepare food that have colorful ingredients in them. You can always add some leafy greens and some red tomatoes in his/her daily, monotonous food. Also, you can make the food more attractive by making them look like one of their favorite cartoon characters.
Ask them what they want to eat:
While cooking dinner, ask your kids what they want to eat. Give them some options to choose from. That way they will be more encouraged to eat.
Involve them when preparing the meal:
You should always ask your child to help you prepare meals. If your child is old enough, then buy some child friendly knives for them. They can always help you chop some vegetables or set up the table.
Add fruits and vegetables on the menu:
Stock up with fruits and vegetables. They can be healthy replacements of junk food. If your child wants some snacks between meals, you can always give him/her an apple or some berries.
Introduce smoothies at breakfast:
Which child doesn’t love smoothies? If your children doesn’t want to eat any solid food in the morning, then you can always offer some delicious smoothies to them. There are so many smoothie recipes available on the internet and they are super healthy too.
Praise them:
You should always appreciate your child’s efforts. If they finish their meal on their own, then try to reward them with a healthy snack. This is a common behavioral trick that will help your children’s mental health.
Children love to experiment. Encourage them to try new foods and recipes. Also warn them about the effects that junk food has on their health. You should always offer them meals that excite their sensory organs. This trick will make them want to eat more on their own.