It’s not easy for working parents to prepare tasty and healthy food every day. Unfortunately, tired and harassed parents frequently choose convenience over nutritional value and end up getting their kids fast food.
Kids love to eat fast food because of what it promises:
- visually appealing and tasty food,
- fun in the on-site playgrounds,
- entertainment with the kid’s meal toy, and
- connection with the cartoon character or celebrity who draws your kid to the restaurant.
Now when you offer them the healthy meal their developing bodies need they turn into the dreaded picky eater. But can you really blame them? After having a taste of fast food it quickly becomes something they would like to eat all the time.
The truth is most of us didn’t like broccoli and peas until we matured enough to appreciate the nutritional quality of these vegetables. Bearing that in mind you should focus on what you can do to get your picky eater to enjoy the healthy goodies you’re offering. Solving that challenge could turn your french fry chomping, burger breath, cookie monster into Popeye the Sailor Man.
This is a challenging parenting task since it requires experience, skills and knowledge in different fields such as food preparation, child psychology and dramatic acting. Don’t be intimidated though, you’re more than qualified to deal with your picky eater, so load yourself up with a plate of confidence and a large side of patience.
Most picky eaters avoid food which is new to them.
Children love adventures and even the new meal should be an exciting experience. You must give your children the freedom they need.
Moreover kids know best when they had enough, if they’re hungry you would be the first one to know. Overeating isn’t healthy at all even if the food is healthy.
So when your kid gets hungry they will eventually eat the food you offer. Understand this is not a punishment. Some wise advice is to occasionally treat your kid to fast food because as I mentioned earlier no one should be punished. Otherwise all the munchies would be eaten once the picky eater lays hands on them and that will happen sooner or later.
Instead of creating rules you should consider positive ways to break them.
- A clever idea is to allow your child to have a veggie meal while watching cartoons or playing their favorite video game.
- Another approach is to let the picky eater help prepare the food.
If you show your kids how to help you in the kitchen you will give them a priceless lesson. There’s a very good chance your picky eater will eventually eat their own creation with pride.
If your child is too little to help you out, then you can make their food more interesting.
- Colorful food is very attractive for little kids. If they still don’t want to eat it, try to make your food even more interesting by arranging it in animal shapes, etc.
- Games are a good alternative too. Hide small portions of healthy food in Ziploc bags around the house and make them look for it. When the picky eater finds the treasure they’ll have to eat it to receive the next clue.
- Also keep in mind small children need their food to be smaller. The picky eater would never chew on a large carrot, but if you present them carrot fingers with their favorite dip, things might work out right.
Please share any ideas you may have on successfully getting your picky eater to try healthier food. Thank you.
