Picky Kids? Here's How You Can Get Them Eating Healthier!

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We all need to eat the right foods to nourish our bodies, repair and thrive. But it’s especially important for children since they’re growing so rapidly. So when children become picky and refuse to eat what’s good for them, it can be a huge source of frustration for the parents. Thankfully we have developed plenty of tricks over the years to get as much of the good stuff into their diet as we can, without a daily dinnertime tantrum! Here are a few things to try

Start When They’re Young

Giving your child a wide variety of fruits and vegetables from a young age is a smart move. Sure, they won't like everything (especially right away) but keep trying them. Prepare them in different ways too, you could puree or finely chop certain fruits and vegetables to add to dishes, or cut them into pieces to eat raw. You could make smoothies, ice lollies or anything else to make it interesting. Giving them these things early on and getting them used to a wide variety of healthy tastes will set them up for success later on.

Get Them Involved

Studies have shown that children are more likely to eat healthy foods if they have helped to prepare them. So getting them in the kitchen having fun will educate them about different ingredients, help them to understand where their food has come from and might lead to them eating more of the good stuff too. Giving them an interest and curiosity about healthy food is always a good thing. It doesn't have to be difficult work, simply let them wash the salad or pour the dressing on. They could add pre-measured ingredients to a bowl or help stir. As long as they feel that they were involved, it will do the trick.

Be a Good Role Model

If you’re snacking on delicious, unhealthy foods that they’re not allowed it’s not going to set the best example. Let your children see you snacking on fruit, enjoying a rainbow of vegetables and making healthy choices. In time they’re likely to follow your behavior, so make sure you’re being a good role model when it comes to eating.

Eat as a Family

Many families split up dinner times into adults and children. However eating together is by far the better choice. Even from a young age, get your child sitting at the dinner table, you could check out the top 3 high chairs on the market today to find out which would suit your needs best. Instead of making separate meals for children and adults, enjoy the same meal together which goes back to the point above. Make family mealtimes fun and relaxed, and a chance where you can all catch up and spend quality time together.

Don’t Buy Junk Food

Finally, if you don’t have junk food in the house at all, your children will never ask for it. If they know you have ‘treats’ stashed away even if they’re for special occasions, you can bet they will always want these over anything else! Instead, fill up a fruit bowl and let children help themselves. Since we don't tend to overeat when it comes to fruit, you know if they're reaching for it that they’re genuinely hungry. This encourages healthy snacking rather than out of boredom or for comfort.

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