It’s so important that your child eats plenty of fruits and vegetables. Every one of us would like our children to be healthy, so why is it sometimes so difficult to get them to eat their veggies?
Here are five tips that can help you get your little ones to enjoy the many benefits of fruits and vegetables:
1. Make it Fun!
Get creative in the kitchen – try making things like zucchini “noodles” or carrot-apple muffins. This way, your child will have fun trying out new foods with interesting shapes and flavors.
Other ways to make it fun include having a “taste test” with different fruits and vegetables or even playing a game where you guess which fruit or vegetable is in the bowl. The key is to keep things engaging and enjoyable.
2. Let them Experiment
Let your children explore the produce department – let them touch, smell, and even taste different fruits and vegetables. Allow them to choose some items that they would like to try, so they can feel like they have some control over the situation.
Exploring new foods in this way will help your child become more familiar with produce – helping it to become a normal part of their diet.
3. Lead by Example
Children learn from watching others, especially their caregivers. If you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, your children are likely to follow suit.
It’s important to be vocal about why you’re eating certain things – talk about how good it tastes or how nutritious it is for you. This creates positive connotations around healthy food, making it an attractive option for your child.
4. Make it Accessible
Keep a variety of fruits and vegetables in the house so that they are always available when your child is hungry. This can also help to reduce the temptation of unhealthy snacks or processed foods.
Cut up some fresh produce and store it in containers at eye level in the fridge – making it easy to grab something healthy when your child needs a snack.
5. Try, try again
It can often take multiple attempts for a child to get used to the taste and texture of certain fruits or vegetables. If your child isn’t keen on something at first, don’t give up – keep offering it in different forms until they find something they like.
Children’s taste buds change over time, so if you keep offering healthy food options, they may eventually come around. Be patient, and be sure to recognize the effort they are making when they try something new!
Bonus Tip:
Praise them for trying! Even if your child doesn’t enjoy a certain food, it’s important to recognize the effort they made in trying it. Give them positive reinforcement and let them know that you are proud of their willingness to explore new foods.
Eating fruits and vegetables can be challenging, but with these five tips, you can get your children on track toward healthier eating habits. It may take some time, but eventually, they will come to appreciate the importance of healthy food choices – and the delicious flavors they bring!