Sometimes, trying to encourage kids to eat anything that isn’t chicken nuggets, pizza and pasta can feel like the most difficult thing in the world. But, they can’t live on that, and it’s up to you to try and get them to vary their diet. There are numerous ways that you can do this, but one of them is to try and get them more involved with their own diet, rather than just eating whatever is put on the plate. But, how can you do this? We’re glad that you asked, here are some ideas.
Take Them To The Store With You
Now, before you start saying that it’s a nightmare to take your kids to the store with you, and that it makes things harder than they need to be, we know. For some people, going to the grocery store with their kids can be difficult, but they have to get used to it at some point. Sure, you might have to fight through it the first couple of times, but after that you should manage to have quite a pleasant time.
Talk to them about the different food that they are seeing, encourage them to point out things that they think look appealing, and discuss what kind of meals you could make with them. It takes longer, but it’s better for them as they will start to think more about what they are consuming.
Let Them Cook With You
We’re sure that you’re probably reluctant to do this as well, as sometimes when kids help, it doesn’t really feel like help. But, that’s how they learn, and it’s up to you to teach them. You should be encouraging your kids to be in the kitchen with you, making their meals, showing them how it’s done, and getting them to have a go. Trust us when we say that kids are far more likely to eat something that they have had a hand in preparing, as they know everything that went into it, and they want to see if what they made is delicious.
You do not have to do this all of the time if you don’t want to, and we’re sure there are some days where these few minutes of peace are precious. That’s fine. Just get them in there when you can.
Give Them Little Incentives
Lastly, no we aren’t talking about bribing them. Well, not really! Giving your children little incentives to try new foods is a wonderful way to get them to eat. They will be adamant they don’t like this new food you have put in front of them, but they have also never tried it. If they like pudding, such as yogurt or an ice lolly then you can use this to encourage them to have a tiny bit. If they really and truly don’t like it then you can give them something else, but the main thing is they tried.
Hopefully you found this article interesting and it gave you some insight and ideas on how you can encourage your children to eat healthy. It can be incredibly tricky getting children to eat things they aren’t sure about. A little gentle encouragement goes a long way.