As parents we all know that fruits and vegetables are essential for the health of our children. For those of you with kids that love their fruits and vegetables you are blessed…for the rest of us it can be a real ordeal. There’s no need to panic if your child is a picky eater.
Here are some tips to help you help your kids eat healthily:
Relax
Sometimes it’s all too easy to get stressed out if your child won’t eat food that’s good for him or her. Try not to make a big deal out of it this will only stress out your youngster and make it even harder for him or her to snack on the good stuff. No matter how frustrated you get, putting pressure on your child will only exacerbate the situation, so take a deep breath and put on a smile.
Persevere
Be creative. If you have to you can hide vegetables in sauces, on pizza or even in desserts.
Don’t give in too soon! You may have to serve the same fruits and vegetables several times before your child shows an interest in them but it can happen.
Make Healthy Eating Fun
You can make meal times a blast if you make eating fruits and veggies fun. Experiment with cutting them into cool shapes like stars, hearts, rockets and animals. Use them to make silly faces on a plate or sandwich. Try making colorful rainbows with different combinations of fruits and vegetables.
Keep Fruit and Veggies Snacks On Hand
Around the house you can keep a bowl of carrot and apple strips on hand for snacks. You can also add grapes, raisins and celery for more color and variety. Keep small baggies of fruit and veggie snacks in the fridge ready for when you go outside or take a trip. Try to eat at least two portions of fruits and vegetables with every meal. Get creative and make up delicious fruit smoothies with things such as raspberries, banana, yogurt, strawberries and mango for a breakfast drink or dessert.
As always, one of the most important things about encouraging your child to eat healthy meals is to set a good example. Put plenty of fruits and vegetables on your own plate and you’ll be off to a good start.
Don’t forget to make sure your kids are drinking plenty of liquids, a Glasstic Shatterproof Glass Water Bottle makes for a convenient and healthy way to keep hydrated at home or on the go.
