As parents, we all want our child to develop a mind of their own, even if this may cause some issues down the road. This can be seen from your child’s eating habits becoming picky and you may begin to struggle to get them to eat a meal. Since you’re going to want your kids to eat the healthy foods that they may not always enjoy, these eating habits need to be fixed early on. Here are some ways to stop a picky eater:
1. Make a Drink
As long as it tastes decent, your child will most likely prefer a shake or juice drink over having to eat a full plate of food. Make a fruit and vegetable smoothie for them to get those vital nutrients to your kid. Better yet, if you have an electric juicing device, you can make the most of your healthy foods by squeezing the essential vitamins and minerals out of them.
2. Toppings
Similar to dipping food into various spread, as mentioned above, adding special toppings to your child’s food will help make them less picky. Find some nutritious toppings they like to broaden your picky eater’s possible menu.
3. One Bite
Sometimes you have to put your foot down as a parent and make your children do things that don’t want to. Instead of letting it go when they don’t want to try something new, instead make them at least try one bite of it. Most of the time children will come to find that they actually enjoy a new food if they have the courage to try it!
4. Dip It
Young children love to immerse their food in tasty dipping sauces, which can be used to your benefit. You’ll want to try finding healthy dipping options however, so that your child isn’t cancelling out their healthy food options. Here are some great options: cottage cheese, fruit preserves, guacamole, peanut butter, pureed fruit and veggies, and Greek yogurt.
5. Be Sneaky
While it’s not the best practice to trick your children into eating food, sometimes they’re only picky eaters because it’s “all in their head.” Try to slip grated or diced vegetables into some of their favorite foods. You can also try the “Dip It” method of covering healthy foods with some of their favorite sauces in order to make your child more willing to eat it.
6. Understanding
While your child may be an obvious picky eater, you also have to understand the fact that their stomachs are much smaller than yours. Try to keep serving sizes small so they don’t feel overwhelmed at the dinner table. If your child is ready to quit on their meal, try encouraging them to go for one or two more bites before they’re finished.
What strategies did you use to encourage your child to eat?
Written by Doodle Pants Team
Doodle Pants is an exciting collection of stylish toddler leggings for girls and boys, wild animal prints, and charming original characters. Little ones (3 months to 3T) can squiggle and wiggle with ease thanks to a roomy seat, stretchy ribbed cuffs and a comfortable elastic waistband. They’re made with thick, flexible material that holds up and is easy to wash. Whether running havoc on the playground or dressing up for an impromptu dolly tea party, these are the perfect pieces for a frolicking fun time.
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