|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
If you are
worried about your child receiving adequate nutrients
from their diet, you are not alone! Many parents find
mealtimes difficult, especially when their children are
fussy eaters. From determining what to feed your child
to actually getting your child to eat what you have
given them, can be quite an exhausting process! |
 |
There are
several small, easy actions that you can take to help
mealtimes run more smoothly.
- Try
and eat regular healthy meals together as a family.
- Don’t
make a fuss at mealtimes! This may cause your child
to rebel even more and cause tension at the dinner
table.
-
Encourage your child to help prepare the meals. Take
them shopping and ask them to help you choose
nutritious foods that they want to eat. Then decide
on a recipe together and get your child involved in
preparing it (under your strict supervision of
course!). Having spent the time and made the effort
to make the food, it may increase the likelihood of
them wanting to eat it.
- You
are the primary role model to your child. Make sure
that you set a good example to them with your own
eating habits. If you eat processed ready meals that
are high in fat and salt, chances are, your children
will too.
- Snacks are
important, but too many will have an affect on your
child’s appetite for their main meals. If your child
feels hungry in between meals, give them nutritious
snacks such as fruit, vegetable sticks and dip or humus,
cheese cubes or a small pot of yogurt.
- Listen to
your child when they tell you that they don’t like a
particular type of food. It may just be that they don’t
like the way it has been cooked in that particular dish
or the way it has been presented. Sometimes, all it
takes is presenting the dish in a fun way, like making a
face out of the vegetables on their plate or even
spelling out their name.
- Be
creative when planning your meals. Having the same dish
regularly can be boring. For example, if you are making
pasta with sauce, add some chopped vegetables to the
sauce when cooking to give it a different flavour and
texture. It’s also a good way of getting your child to
eat their veggies without it being too obvious!
- Give your
child small portions of food to begin with. If they are
presented with a mountain of food on their plate at the
beginning of the meal, this may put them off eating it.
- Don’t
offer alternative foods as rewards, or say things like
“no pudding until you’ve eaten all those vegetables”.
This may have a negative impact on your child eating
vegetables in the future! By doing this you will also be
reinforcing the idea that the pudding is more desirable
than the vegetables.
- Are you
familiar with the notion that sometimes food tastes
better when it’s from someone else’s plate? Well
children sometimes think like that too! If you have
something different on your plate, offer a small bite to
your child to try.
- Only
offer one new food at a time and serve the new food with
familiar ones.
- Food fads
are often short-lived. Offer the rejected foods every
few weeks but don’t force your child to have it. In
time, your child may agree to give them a go!
- Encourage
your child to have a look at the
nutrient guide
so they can see why different types of foods are good
for them.
|
|
Please note that any health tips or advice
provided on this site are not intended as, and
should not be regarded as a substitute for
medical advice from your doctor or health
professional. |
 |
Print |
Contact Us |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UK - Worldwide 
