Hidden vegetables
I love my food processor. It is my best friend, and half the time my family doesn’t know they are actually eating vegetables. I hide vegetables in sauces, coatings, dips, baking… everything I cook has hidden vegetables in it!
Communicate
Always talk to your child about how good food is! How it will make them feel very good tomorrow, give them the energy to play and help them grow big and strong. Teach your child about where their food comes from; about wasting food and how this can impact on the environment.
Before dinner
Your child will be at his or her hungriest in the lead up to dinner. Instead of rejecting their need to eat by saying wait until dinner, set out a plate of cold salads and raw vegetables to pick at while you prepare dinner. This helps encourage healthy snacking, providing light satisfaction before dinner without overindulging.
The best thing about this is that it can be brought out at any time during the day and requires minimal preparation.
Always talk to your child about how good food is! How it will make them feel very good tomorrow, give them the energy to play and help them grow big and strong.
Patience
Being forceful when presenting foods to your child will hinder their relationship with vegetables. It also has the potential to bring about rebellion and tantrums. Offer once, and if they turn it down, give them the option of eating something they like before and after the vegetable. This food must already be on their dinner plate – do not go and cook a special item for them to have with dinner if no one else will be eating it.
This process will begin as trial and error. And it will take time. You now have the tools, the tricks and the determination to feed your child great foods! Reward systems, gentle encouragement, versatile recipes and pre-planning meals that kids are involved in choosing are all helpful tools in aiding your children to eat well.
Building a better foundation today will make all the difference tomorrow. Good luck!
Originally published here.
Kyra Merrett is studying a Bachelor of Health Science (Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine) at Endeavour College of Natural Health. She is a mum to a wonderful two year old daughter and is exceptionally passionate about children’s nutrition. Kyra is driven by a love of food and hopes to influence major movements and changes in food standards.
