What parent doesn’t struggle at the dinner table with wiggly fun-seeking child? Eating may be the last point on their agenda. Don’t despair, there are a few things you can do to make sure they actually eat their meals. Here are a few of my solutions to rev up the appetite of your picky eaters.
1. Involve them in the prep
There is a reason kids that take cooking classes are not only more adventurous in the foods they try, but eat more willingly. If your little one takes pride in helping you prepare something, he or she will try it. It also demystifies some foods. The easiest meal is perhaps making pizza together. Make your own or use frozen dough, and then let the kids be creative with the toppings, and even the sauce (though standard marinara is often a winner). If they made it, they will eat it. This is why cooking with your preschooler is such a great idea. If you haven’t tried a cooking class, it’s worth it, just to open your child’s eyes to the variety of foods.
2. Avoid snacks at least 90 minutes prior to meal time
It’s easy to give them a snack and give you more time to cook dinner. However, they may be too full to eat any dinner afterwards. The same applies to empty drinks – sodas, juices. Keep the snacks away at least an hour to hour and a half prior, and offer water instead. At the same time, remember to snack during the day but on something healthy – crackers with veggie dip, or celery with peanut/soynut butter and raisins. If 90 minutes prior to meal it too long without a snack, try something with fiber, like an apple, that will keep them fuller longer.
3. Model Behavior
If they see you eating dinner at the table every night instead of quickly snacking on leftovers by the kitchen counter, they see an example. Even busy parents can set the time a few times a week to eat dinner as a family. It’s a nice opportunity to model eating together and eating meals.
4. Eat the Same Foods
Let’s just skip babies and all those still on breastmilk and baby food. Once they’ve got the choppers to eat table food, make an effort to eat the same foods. Forget the chicken nuggets, bagel bites and other kid-only processed "easy foods". It may be convenient or it may be a time waste as you are cooking different foods for the family. Once your kids try roasted chicken, lasagna, or turkey, they will enjoy eating "grown up" foods – and it’s a faster dinner prep, modeling eating the same foods, and healthier if home-made. Looking for a good recipe to start? Make our Roast Chicken, and just skip the marinade, to make it faster.
5. Experiment with Textures
While most kids would love things crunchy (hint, great time to squeeze in celery), others like the smooth texture of a soup or dip. Roasting will shrink the foods (especially the water-rich veggies), but doesn’t change the amount, so that’s an easy way to eat more of nutritious foods. Experiment with different textures to see what your child likes best.
You can find many more suggestions in this article: How to Get Your Kids to Eat their Veggies.
