Transitioning your kids to solid foods is one thing, but teaching them to eat healthily is another. Kids are picky eaters. However, as parents, you can’t give them whatever they’d like. Good nutrition and healthy eating habits should start early to ensure your kids grow strong and healthy.
But teaching kids how to eat healthily has always been a struggle for parents. In this article, we’ll share some tips to help encourage your kids to eat healthily and develop good eating habits, which will be beneficial as they grow up.
5 Tips To Develop Your Kid’s Healthy Eating Habits
Most of us did not grow up loving broccoli or other vegetables. But you can train younger babies to love vegetables and other nutrition-dense foods if you do it early and properly.
Here are some feeding tips parents should take note of.
Dedicate a Time of Day for Family Mealtime
The easiest way to teach kids is through routines. Healthy eating habits also involve eating meals at the proper times. Dedicate a time of day when the family sits together and eats together. Eating as a family is great for your kid’s social, emotional, and developmental milestones.
Furthermore, you can control how your kids eat when you eat together. You can heap fruits and veggies on their plate. You can even choose how long they eat for, which will help them become adjusted to the schedule.
Address the Picky Eating Habits Early
It is nearly impossible to deal with a particular eating preference when you address them too late. But if you observe your baby’s habits early on, you can still fix them. For example, teach your kids to eat what is served. Don’t rush into cooking something new when your kids decline what’s on their plate. Calmly explain that their wants are not on the menu, but you are open to serving it on a different day.
Additionally, little kids should take at least three bites out of the food before they can say they don’t like it. If they don’t like the taste, don’t eliminate the dish from your list. You can always experiment with flavour profiles and serve the dish differently.
Don’t Set Forbidden Foods
Unless your kids have allergies, there’s no reason to forbid them from different types of food. The more you restrict them, the more curious your kids will be. For example, if you make chocolates off limits to your kids, they will tend to overindulge in them when they get their hands on them.
If your kids are asking for ice cream, give them some. The key is portion control. You can also introduce alternatives like frozen yogurt. Top it with chocolate and fruits, and your kids can enjoy a healthier dessert.
Teach by Example
A kid’s ultimate role model is their parents. So their eating habits will be the ones they copy from you. You can’t expect your kids to eat healthy foods if you yourself are not doing so. You can also teach several things by example during mealtime—table manners for one.
Not playing with food or talking when your mouth is full is a good practice for children. How to teach a baby to use a spoon and other utensils is easily achieved through teaching by demonstration.
Give Them Their Own Utensils
Little kids love it when you give them the freedom to do things independently. To encourage self-feeding, getting infant spoons for your kids has many benefits. Just make sure to get the right spoon for their little mouths. Eating should be an easy experience. If they find it hard to do or are uncomfortable, they will not likely learn to self-feed or even want to eat.
There are many options for baby utensils. Make sure to get the correct one for your kids so they can enjoy their meal times. Silicone spoons and forks are best for your kids. These are safe to put in the mouth and are comfortable for your baby’s gums.
Purchasing Your Kid’s Baby Spoon Set
Making your kids feel they are in charge and involved during their meal time will help develop good eating habits. One way to get them involved is by giving them their own set of utensils. But there are so many baby spoons you can choose from. Which ones are safe? Which ones are best for your kids?
Here are some considerations to note.
Non-Toxic and Chemical-Free Materials
Baby spoons are made from various materials ranging from silicones to rigid plastics. If you are considering synthetic materials, ensure that they’re BPA-free. Food-grade silicone is the safest choice for baby spoons, while metal baby spoons should be lead- and preservative-free.
Wooden baby spoons are also a good choice. Bamboo is a good material for infant spoons. It’s natural and can double as a teether for your teething babies.
If you choose a spoon with two or more materials, ensure it is well-constructed. It’s common for baby spoons to have a metal tip and a silicone handle. Ensure the pieces are robust. Kids will bang their spoons on the table, throw, and bite them; the utensils shouldn’t break.
Not to mention, they should be dishwasher-, microwave-, and freeze-safe—enough to withstand ultra-high and ultra-low temperatures.
Choke Protection Guards
This feature is essential for younger babies who are just learning to self-feed. It controls how much of the spoon they can shove in the little mouths, and will contain just enough food to prevent choking.
Not all spoons for your kids need choke protection guards. You can consider baby spoons with long handles. Parents use these spoons to assist their kids in feeding when their fine motor skills are not yet developed.
Ashtonbee’s Baby Feeding Spoon
If you’re looking for the best baby spoon for your kids, then Ashtonbee has it. We have a collection of various feeding gadgets and just the perfect spoon for your kids to enjoy mealtime. Let’s check out its features.
- These baby spoons are perfect for transitioning your kids from drinking milk to eating solids.
- The spoon is guaranteed 100% safe for your kids. It’s made from soft food-grade silicone, which is comfortable on a baby’s sensitive gums.
- The baby spoon has an easy-grip handle to make it easier for your kid’s little hands to control.
- Each pack comes with five colourful spoons for only $14.99—a great value for your money.
Developing your little one’s healthy eating habits is a great challenge for parents— teaching them to eat healthy, how to use utensils, and table manners, is a lot of work and requires a lot of patience. We hope this blog post helps you establish habits and routines for your kid’s mealtime.
For more high-quality baby tools, don’t forget to browse Ashtonbee’s collection. We have everything from feeding tools, baby pillows, and play mats, to safety accessories, and more. Shop with us today!