Many times we hear parents say "how can I improve my child's eating habits so they eat a better diet? It just seems a struggle to get them to eat
their vegetables". If this is a challenge you may feel you are facing here are some solutions to help break through the barriers of kids rejecting food and helping
you get more healthier food options into your child's daily diet.
It is firstly important to take a moment and think who is responsible for the grocery shopping in the house? This is very important because it all
starts from what you put in the trolley at the supermarket. The food choices you make there will end up in the kitchen cupboards or fridge and will be the meals
provided for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So, ensure when shopping to make healthy choices also include the kids, ask them to choose a new fruit or vegetable they would
like to try, this way they feel included and are more inclined to eat it. So remember when shopping to make the choice of Shop healthy, Eat healthy!
Once the foods are home and you go to place them in the cupboards or the fridge, pack the healthy foods on the shelf which is positioned at eye level
for your kids. Such as instead of putting fruit in the bottom draw of the fridge place pieces of fruit or a bowl of fruit salad, on the shelf of the fridge which is at
your child's eye level, so when they open the fridge this what they will see and when choosing a snack they find a healthy choice. It is a good idea to cut fruit up
into fruit salad as this is a great after school snack but also can be used as a topping to put on cereal or as a dessert with some yoghurt. Freezing fruits such as
frozen orange quarters are also a great idea for a snack.
Another good way to get children interested in eating and enjoying healthier foods is to educate them and get them involved in the kitchen. Encourage
the kids through asking them to help you with food preparation, explaining to them the importance of healthy foods whilst you are cooking them. Also, another way to
educate kids is through growing your own vegetables. If you have a backyard, start a little 'vege garden'. This is fun for the kids and interactive. They will learn
about where vegetables come from and how they grow. Plus, they will also get to eat their vegetables once they are grown!
If it is a challenge to get your child to eat their vegetables, why not try to introduce a new vegetable or cook the vegetables a different way, such as
grilled or steamed and add different flavourings including sauces or herbs. And once the vegetables are ready to be served, make the vegetables look fun on the dinner
plate this works well especially for younger children. Make a smiley face with the vegetables such as the eyes are potato, nose is zucchini, mouth is corn and hair are
peas!
The final factor to consider when trying to encourage your child to eat more vegetables is to be a good role model yourself. If you want your child to
eat vegetables, parents need to ensure they are enjoying their vegetables too by encourage healthy meals and snacks at home and ensuring they are part of the daily
diet.
Richard & Joey Marc the family health & Wellness duo created Marc Wellness International with the ambition to reach as many families world wide
as possible with the aim of educating families on the importance of living a vibrant, fun, healthy life. Authors of their book Please Mum Don't Supersize Me which has
created a huge media spotlight. Richard & Joey have they been featured on TV, radio and magazines.