Healthy Tips For Picky Eaters
- Dr. Aluka MD, MS
- Oct 5, 2020
- 2 min read
Are you having trouble getting your kids to eat healthy? Being a mother of 2 toddlers I can see how this can be frustrating. All children go through a picky phase. It seems some children never phase out. Don’t give up just yet! Put that frozen pizza down and try some of these tips when time permits. ☺
Top 5 Tips to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy:
1) Let’s play with our food! What I find helpful with my children is making everything into a game. When my kids think meal time is a game, all that was once “caca,” is now fun and cool! They're eating to play rather than focusing on how weird and different the food looks.
*Attached below are links for exciting games with healthy foods.
2) Shopping Spree! Tell them they can get whatever they like… within reason. Pick different colored fruits and vegetables. Take them to the store (very early in the morning to avoid crowds). Let them guess the name of the foods in the aisles. They will enjoy picking things they want to try.
3) Encourage children to help prepare foods they like. This helps with their measuring skills, teamwork, sociability, and gives them a sense of responsibility. Little ones like to feel they are in charge.
4) Give kids food they like! This is definitely not the route most parents take. I must have stayed at the dinner table from dusk until dawn protesting the idea of vegetables. Cook some of their favorite foods from scratch and add healthy substitutes. Again, get them involved in the cooking process. If they want dinner for breakfast. It’s okay. If they only like 1 fruit and 1 vegetable, find a way to incorporate it in every meal. Read nutrition labels to ensure they get the nutrients they need.
***I find this rule most important for the picky eaters*** DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT hide any food the child DOES NOT like in food they DO like. They will not eat that food for up to a month or longer (personal experience). If it's healthy, and your child likes it, leave it alone. This is especially important when they are sick. Picky eaters have 2 or 3 "go-to" meals. If they stop eating, they stop sleeping, and you stop sleeping.
5) Plant your own food at home. Let children be active participants in seeing how food is grown and made. It will get them excited watching the life of a plant. Knowing they are capable of growing their own food and contributing to the family is very rewarding.
***Attached below are links to fun activities and guidance to help with your little ones! Always remember, as a parent, we have to model the behaviors we hope to see in our children. Hope you have Fun!
Toddler/ School age
(#3 and #4 were a big hit at my house!)
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