This post has been contributed.
Do you have a picky little eater in the family? Is it virtually impossible to get your kids to eat their greens or try new things? If you’re struggling to encourage your kids to take an interest in what they eat, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some fun ways to get your kids to take more enjoyment from food.
Cook and bake together
Do you remember that sense of pride when you cooked at school, or you helped your mom bake a cake? Children take much more of an interest in what goes on in the kitchen when they’re actually involved. Try cooking and baking together from an early age. Let young children help out with safe tasks like stirring cake mix and adding ingredients to the bowl.
Encourage older children to take on more responsibility as they gain confidence.
Take a look at sites like www.elephantcookiecutter.com for cute, child-friendly baking accessories and look online for recipes that are suitable for young diners. Baking is an excellent rainy-day activity, and it’s really useful (and fun) for children to learn basic culinary skills from a young age.
Grow your own
Do you have trouble persuading your kids to eat peas or do they spend what seems like hours pushing broccoli florets or spinach leaves around their plate? Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a brilliant way to try and encourage children to try healthy foods. If your child has helped in the garden for a few weeks, they’re going to be more inclined to at least try the produce. We grew snap peas and our picky daughter ate them as we harvested! If you’re looking for ideas for foods that are easy to grow as a novice gardener, take a look at https://www.pinterest.com/pin/531495193504064615/.
Be creative with your presentation
Looks are everything when you’re young (and grown)! Try and make plates of food look as appetizing and appealing as possible. If you’ve got a toddler who doesn’t like zucchini, or cucumber, take that vegetable and turn into a crocodile. How about that bowl of oatmeal sitting there going cold? Sprinkle on some raisins, bananas and grapes to make a smiley face. If you can make your food fun, you stand a much better chance of getting your child to try it. Other great examples include fruit kebabs or caterpillars made from chopped bananas.
Make use of your blender
Make your blender your new best friend. You can boost your child’s fruit and vegetable intake by adding celery, carrots, tomatoes, peppers and onions to pasta sauces and soups. And you can combine apples, bananas, strawberries, mango, or orange with yogurt to make a delicious breakfast milkshake.
If you love to cook and you have a passion for healthy eating and you want to pass on to your children, there are ways of to do it. Cook, bake and prepare meals and snacks together. Search for fun, child-friendly recipes and try and be creative when it comes to presentation. Then sit down and enjoy the “fruits” of your labor together!