Every parent wants their children to be healthy. It’s not always easy to persuade kids to try new foods or take an interest in nutrition. If you’re used to battles at mealtimes, or you’re on a mission to encourage healthy habits and ensure your children have a positive relationship with food from an early age, this guide is packed with helpful advice.
Books and games
Reading books about diet and nutrition and playing games are brilliant ways to encourage children to learn about food and have fun along the way. Makeup games you can play together to teach your kids about different food groups and why healthy eating is important, read stories about going grocery shopping, and check out books about how the digestive system works.
Get involved in practical activities like going to the store to buy ingredients together and learning to cook at home. There are some brilliant resources available online as well as amazing books that teach children about nutrition in an engaging, accessible way. You can also use your own creativity and urge your kids to conjure up ideas to create new games and activities centered around food and diet.
Cooking together
Cooking with your kids is an excellent way to introduce them to new foods, snacks, and meals and teach them basic skills that they can use later in life. Children can help with meal preparation and cooking from an early age, taking on simple, safe jobs like adding ingredients to a bowl, stirring the mixture, and measuring.
As they get older, they can take on more responsibility. Focus on healthy recipes and add the occasional treat to keep them motivated and reward them for their hard work. Bake a cake, follow a recipe for homemade chocolate whipped cream, or rustle up a homemade pizza or nachos for movie night.
If you’re looking for inspiration, search online for quick and easy recipes for kids, or look for books that are designed for young chefs. You can filter search results based on the age group and any dietary requirements.
Presentation
Children, particularly young kids, respond positively to visual stimuli. Many kids will judge a dish based purely on what it looks like and they may decide not to try something if it’s new and they don’t like the look of it. As a parent, you can try to persuade your children to be more open-minded and give new foods a go by honing your presentation skills.
For small children, try to make plates look fun by using fruit and vegetables to make animals or using simple tactics like adding a smiley face with sauce or chopped vegetables to a bowl of soup, pasta, or stew. There are some fabulous ideas and guides you can follow on social media. It’s an excellent idea to use themes and events to introduce healthy foods. At Halloween, for example, you can use chopped bananas and raisins to make friendly ghosts.
Every parent wants their child to have a good relationship with food. It’s not always easy to encourage your kids to take an interest in diet and nutrition. If you’re keen to help your children learn and adopt healthy eating habits, try these steps. Read books, play games, and engage in fun activities that promote healthy eating, cook together at home, and try to make plates look appetizing and fun.
