Encouraging Kids to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables: Tips and Tricks

Introduction

Sometimes children can be picky eaters which means that they may refuse to eat certain types of fruits and vegetables that traditionally don't taste delicious. However, parents need to ensure that their child has a balanced diet to look after their regular nutritional requirements. Each nutrient is essential for the overall well-being of a child and contributes towards the growth and development of the child.

Hence, it becomes important for parents to try different techniques to make their children eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables. This may include consistent persuasion, trying various recipes, and also explaining to the child the importance of eating a well-balanced diet full of various fruits and vegetables. If you are a parent who is trying to figure out how to make it possible for your kid to eat a diverse meal, then this article might be helpful for you.

How to Encourage Your Kid to Try More Fruits and Vegetables

Here is how you may make your child eat different types of fruits and vegetables.

• Divide the Day into Meals and Snacks

Sometimes a child may not appreciate it when you feed them all kinds of vegetables and fruits in one single meal. Hence a better way of going about it is to divide the daily fruit and vegetables intake into different meals as well as snacks so that the child doesn't feel cranky. This will also make each meal and snack more balanced, and parents will have the greater opportunity to experiment with different food items and ingredients. For example, for an evening snack, you may give your child a nice vegetable salad with some source of protein. Similarly, for lunch, you may add a cup of curd along with your regular lunch menu.

• Make All Family Members Try Vegetables and Fruits

The next important step for parents is to ensure that all the family members try different types of fruits and vegetables so that the child doesn't feel isolated. Sometimes the child may feel that they're being pressured to eat a certain kind of food while all the other family members are getting away from it. To develop a deeper sense of understanding and cooperation amongst kids regarding eating healthy food items, all family members need to indulge in healthy eating practices. This can make the child understand why it is necessary to choose fruits and vegetables over junk food and make it a way of life.

• Don't Criticize

Passing negative remarks on your child's eating habits can make them more stubborn and develop a rebellious attitude. It may also make the child feel that they are not being understood or heard. Hence, it is very important to provide positive reinforcement and not use harsh words with the child to develop healthy eating practices. You may just simply serve them some balanced meals and encourage them to try these recipes. Slowly, you might see that your child will become less stubborn and more welcoming towards trying different types of recipes.

• Introduce New Recipes

Another great way of making your child try various types of fruits and vegetables is by making new types of recipes for them. You may also switch cuisines and make some yummy dishes so that your child doesn't get the upfront taste of the fruits or vegetables that they generally do not like. However, it is very important to slowly introduce these recipes one by one into your household so that your child doesn't get overwhelmed with so many flavors. Another important point to remember is that you should always give more consideration to nutrients rather than flavor.

• Try Different Presentation Ideas

Other than the taste of the food, the way that the food looks may also instantly grab the attention of a child. To make your child interested in eating different recipes, you may change the way that you present the food to your kid. The plating can be made more aesthetic by cutting vegetables into different shapes, adding dips, and seasoning the food with various ingredients to make it look more delectable. Sometimes the food looks so appetizing that the child might forget to think of what ingredients have been added in the dish and simply devour it.

• Explain Nutrition to Your Kid

One of the best ways to make your child understand the importance of eating healthy food is to explain to them how it can truly make a difference in their life. You may start by simply explaining the importance of every nutrient and how it helps in the overall well-being of one's body. Then you may encourage them to read different books related to nutrition or make them watch movies and documentaries to further their understanding. For more experiential learning, you may also encourage them to come to the kitchen and see the food being prepared.

Conclusion

Encouraging kids to eat healthy fruits and vegetables is a gradual process of learning, positive reinforcement, and transparent communication. There is a greater need for patience from the end of parents as it may take slightly longer than one would expect for the child to become comfortable with eating these fruits and vegetables. However, a balanced diet and eating practices go a long way so this practice is a must for all kids to learn.