Kids are a lovely handful at the best of times. But when it comes to food, they can be a real nightmare. Not just because of the soup-soaked carpets and juice-stained drapes you might encounter on a daily basis, or the tantrums and restless disasters that might occur on a regular basis. What really worries parents around the world is how to make sure their children get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and fit.
Of course, in an ideal world, your child would happily munch on a completely balanced diet of carbohydrates, protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, and some essential oils and vitamins. But in reality this can be tricky. Here are some tips on how to get your child’s diet on the right track:
Lead by example
If you don’t like ‘green stuff’, you’ll have to change if you want your child to eat it. Children learn by example, so if you snub a piece of lettuce, they almost certainly will too.
Foods with built-in vitamins
There are many foods that come with additional vitamins inside. Milk is a good example: While milk is of course a great source of calcium on its own, it can now be purchased fortified or enriched with additional vitamins and minerals. As the perfect crime, even for the pickiest children you can find a food that they like and that has extra nutrients pre-installed.
fun nights to eat
Sometimes children associate food with the environment they were in when they first encountered it. If a child’s first experience of eating fish is fraught with fear and anxiety about this ‘strange and unusual’ food, it will stay with them and be difficult to get rid of for years to come. However, making mealtime fun, especially when new foods are introduced, can be very rewarding for your child’s future mealtime sanity and palette. Try a Mexican meal with costumes, music, a movie, and fun Mexican-themed games to make sure your child associates this type of food with good times.
supplements
Some people are wary of giving their children extra supplements, but with many created especially for children, you can be sure that they are developed to provide children with many essential vitamins that they might otherwise miss out on. Some yogurt drinks may offer the best probiotics. Also, you can often find useful supplements for yourself, such as Coenzyme Q10 100mg, which can help with heart health and anxiety.
good snacks
Healthy snacks are very helpful for picky eaters. While you’re out and about, why not try instead of offering a bag of chips or a candy bar, some fruit or a bag of nuts? Again, making it fun will help your child forget about the sugar and salt they are missing out on and making snacks as tempting as possible will only make them more enjoyable. Try carrot sticks and grapes!
