Monkey see, monkey do -- children even pick up on the subtle stuff.
Set a good example, and remember that what you say is less important
than what you do. If you say, "Yum, peas!" while turning
your nose up, so will the kids, and peas will never be popular
in your house. Have a positive attitude about food, and try to
break any of your own less-than-perfect food habits that you don’t
want your kids to develop.
Never
use food as a reward, especially for finishing another food. That
inevitably leads to a power struggle and detrimental behavior
that may be difficult to reverse.
Let the child determine how much is enough or too much. In most
cases, there’s no reason to panic if a child misses a meal
here and there or eats nothing but animal crackers for an entire
day. Studies show that kids’ calorie and nutrient intakes
vary wildly from one meal to the next, and even day to day, but
tend to balance out week to week. Small kids are good appetite
regulators, so forcing them to eat when they’re not hungry,
or taking food away when they reach for more, may be setting them
up for eating problems later. Plus, if you overreact when your
kids refuse to eat, they learn to use food refusal as a way to
get to you. Again, best to avoid the power struggle.
Keep a variety of healthy foods in the house. If you offer kids
several different foods at meals, all of which are nutritious,
then they can pick and choose whatever they like best and you
can rest assured that they’re getting their nutrients. We’ve
all witnessed at one time or another the child that defiantly
refuses supper but then begs for dessert. Avoid this scenario
by offering a nutrient packed assortment at the meal, and skipping
dessert or serving fresh fruit.
Avoid
labeling foods and "good" or "bad." Kids will
naturally try to do the opposite of what their parents want them
to do, so try your best to treat all foods as different but equal.
This will also prevent the "if it’s good for you it
must taste bad" notion (and vice-versa!).
Be patient! If your child refuses a new food, move on to something
else and reintroduce the food a few days later. The rest of the
family should eat it like they would anything else, and eventually
the food won’t be so new anymore. It might take over 10
exposures before your toddler will accept it, so hang in there!
Make meals and snacks interesting and fun. Cut fruits and vegetables
in bite sized, fun shapes. Try to have different colors and textures
of foods at each meal. Let your kids help out with meal preparation
(and be sure to make a big deal out of what a super help they
are). Even at age 3, kids can do simple tasks like folding the
napkins or tearing lettuce into a bowl.
Your children should be hungry at mealtime. Wait at least 2 hours
between a snack and a meal, and give water, not juice, milk, or
pop, if they are thirsty before meals. These beverages can fill
them up and make them more picky at the next meal.
Vegetables are often bitter, especially to young tastebuds. Try
preparing them in the most attractive way possible. Don’t
overcook them, and try things like alternating them on a skewer
(careful if they’re sharp) or making funny faces with them.
Kids often prefer veggies raw, with a dip or dressing. Try to
use vegetables regularly as part of a flavorful mixed dish (curries,
stir fries, chilis, sandwiches, salads, casseroles, soups, etc.).
Fruits, which kids generally like better, may be a vegetable substitute.
Nutritionally superior fruits are the richly colored ones: cantaloupe,
berries, mangoes, kiwi, etc.
To boost nutrition without the hassle, try hiding foods in other
foods. Here are some ideas:
Puree
a cooked sweet potato and add to soup or chili.
Add a few spinach leaves to a dressed salad.
Add finely shredded carrot or zucchini to baked goods like banana
bread or apple muffins.
Add cooked, pureed yellow or orange squash or carrots to tomato
sauce.
