Do you dread meal-time battles with your picky child? Does your little one have a no-veg policy, exist on a macaroni-and-cheese-only diet, or continually throw tantrums at the dinner table because they just don't want to eat? If this sounds familiar, don't despair just yet! The following tricks have been known to work wonders with fussy eaters: 1.
Have fun with food Cut veggies into your child's favorite shapes and let them play with them as they eat.
Declare a color day, e.
g.
red or yellow and say your family is only going to eat foods of that color on that day.
Take your kids to the store and let them pick foods of that color that they want to try.
Invent games around food - e.
g.
who can get the most peas on their spoon or who can eat their spaghetti without getting sauce on their lips.
Be as creative as you can to get your children to enjoy their mealtimes and what's on their plate.
2.
Earn as you eat Use a reward-system for trying out new foods.
Draw up a chart and add a star to it every time your kid tries a new food (you can make a rule that they have to take three bites or swallows of a food to qualify).
When they have earned enough points, give them a treat as a reward.
3.
Educate their taste buds Help your child become interested in food by teaching them about what they eat.
Take them to the store to pick out your ingredients (try asking them to pick one they have never tried before to taste).
Show them the foods before they are cooked and let them observe what happens to their taste, texture or smell once they are finished.
Pick up children's books on how fruit and vegetables are grown so they can learn about and get interested in new foods.
4.
Turn them into little chefs Ask your little one to help out in the kitchen - get them to mix, pour or clean the vegetables.
Maybe buy your child a little chef's hat and apron and designate them your helper! For very fussy eaters, you could even book some cooking classes for kids.
By turning them into little chefs, they'll start learning how fun it is to experiment with and explore different foods.
Remember, be patient with your fussy eaters.
Don't force them to eat food - instead encourage them to make decisions for themselves and to be open to trying different things.
And lastly - don't give up too quickly! Some studies have shown a child needs to taste something up to 20 times before they finally decide to like or even swallow it! If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends.
Have a great day!
Have fun with food Cut veggies into your child's favorite shapes and let them play with them as they eat.
Declare a color day, e.
g.
red or yellow and say your family is only going to eat foods of that color on that day.
Take your kids to the store and let them pick foods of that color that they want to try.
Invent games around food - e.
g.
who can get the most peas on their spoon or who can eat their spaghetti without getting sauce on their lips.
Be as creative as you can to get your children to enjoy their mealtimes and what's on their plate.
2.
Earn as you eat Use a reward-system for trying out new foods.
Draw up a chart and add a star to it every time your kid tries a new food (you can make a rule that they have to take three bites or swallows of a food to qualify).
When they have earned enough points, give them a treat as a reward.
3.
Educate their taste buds Help your child become interested in food by teaching them about what they eat.
Take them to the store to pick out your ingredients (try asking them to pick one they have never tried before to taste).
Show them the foods before they are cooked and let them observe what happens to their taste, texture or smell once they are finished.
Pick up children's books on how fruit and vegetables are grown so they can learn about and get interested in new foods.
4.
Turn them into little chefs Ask your little one to help out in the kitchen - get them to mix, pour or clean the vegetables.
Maybe buy your child a little chef's hat and apron and designate them your helper! For very fussy eaters, you could even book some cooking classes for kids.
By turning them into little chefs, they'll start learning how fun it is to experiment with and explore different foods.
Remember, be patient with your fussy eaters.
Don't force them to eat food - instead encourage them to make decisions for themselves and to be open to trying different things.
And lastly - don't give up too quickly! Some studies have shown a child needs to taste something up to 20 times before they finally decide to like or even swallow it! If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends.
Have a great day!