Teaching your child healthy eating habits is important to their growth and development but it can be easier said than done, especially if your children are picky eaters. Then, you have to get creative and use a variety of strategies just to get them to eat in the first place.
If you have a picky eater, keep reading for some expert tips that will have them eating better, and without an argument, in no time! Let’s take a look:
5 Ways To Encourage Your Toddler To Eat Well
Reward Charts- children respond incredibly well to rewards for their behaviour and eating is no different. Create a reward chart and keep track of how well they eat their meals, then add a star to the chart every time they eat well. Once they have enough stars, they will receive a prize.
Have Your Children Choose What’s On The Menu- whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, have your children choose what’s on the menu. Be sure to give them healthy choices to select from and you will begin to see them eating everything on their plate soon. This tip works because the child feels in control of what they eat and they might become more adventurous in their choice of vegetables.
Food Play- younger children respond especially well to the train or aeroplane method of eating, but older kids might see this as silly. If this is the case in your home, let older children help with the preparation process. Children like to cook and by giving them easy jobs in the kitchen, they will take pride in the food they helped to cook.
Glamorise Your Food- the next time you make dinner, go over the top just a bit and make each dish look that much more appealing. You can add special garnishes, cut vegetables into fun shapes or use colour to create interesting patterns on each plate.
Create A Theme Night- at least once a week, create a theme night where every aspect of dinner follows a specific theme. It could be Mexican food night complete with festive decorations and fun games.
These are all very easy ways to get your children to eat better at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Give them a try and see how well your child will be eating in no time!
Contact Happy Journeys Nursery
To learn more ways to encourage your toddler to eat well, contact Happy Journeys Nursery today!
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