The big problem that many parents have to deal with is the fact that the consumption of fruits and vegetables among children is inadequate, something that isn't new in spite of their importance.
If you're looking for tips to help you begin to permanently include more natural foods in the diet of your children, then this article will interest you.
A balanced diet plan allows children to reach their maximal potential and development levels.
Also it helps to prevent major diseases in adulthood.
Therefore, we should be concern about educating children to taste different flavors that enable them to enjoy a rich and healthy diet.
For that reason, it's almost mandatory for parents at home to instill good eating habits in their children and transform meals into a pleasant moment including a variety of foods on the menu for each week.
Right now we'll see 9 practical tips to start including fruits and vegetables in the diet of your child.
Nine tips to help children to start eating fruits and vegetables.
1.
Add fruits and vegetables to foods that the child already likes This is a great way to encouraged the child to eat more vegetables or fruits.
However, the amounts should be very small so that the child doesn't feel a great impact in the change of his diet.
2.
Presenting the dishes in a fun way Children are interested in attractive things on their plate.
This requires being creative, the use of colors and contrast and drawing shapes with vegetables and fruits.
Preparing the meal in an imaginative way will wake up the child's interest for this kind of food.
3.
Serve vegetables on a daily basis and be persistent The children's food preferences are strongly influenced by two factors: the number of times that parents bring one type of food to the table and the parent's perseverance in continue to provide the children with that kind of food.
If the children see the new dishes again and again it will come a time when they'll end up trying them.
Therefore, if we want the child to eat a particular type of vegetable or fruit, we may have to present it around 10 to 15 times before he get used to eat it, or if the child is rebellious, even to try it.
4.
Increase the presence of fruits and vegetables at home What the children find at home is what they will eat.
Try to reduce the presence of junk food and start to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables ready to be eaten, so that children have easy access to them.
5.
Put a poster of fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator This is a "psychological trick," so to speak.
When the child goes to the refrigerator, in his mind he has an image of what he wants to eat (a candy, a piece of cake, etc.
) Having a real image of fruits and vegetables in the front part of the refrigerator will replace the mental image that the child had already formed (the one for the junk food), increasing the chances that he wants to eat a fruit or vegetable instead.
6.
Promoting choice At lunchtime you can tell the child to choose between two options of vegetables you have already prepared.
This makes the child feels that his opinion counts and can also become a clue to the parents when it comes to knowing what he likes and take advantage of this opportunity to introduce new recipes.
The child may not accept a specific type of vegetable, but remember that there are many varieties.
You can try until you find the one your child likes.
7.
Set an example by eating vegetables yourself in front of your children Children learn from what they see, therefore, they are very impressionable by the behavior of those around them.
And those who have a much greater influence on them are their parents.
Therefore, try to eat vegetables and fruits in front of your child constantly.
8.
Having a vegetable garden and taking care of it with your child This is an excellent choice.
Kids who grow vegetables eat almost anything.
Between work and play, kids will find amusing to eat what they planted, and as a bonus, is a great way to spend time with them.
9.
Prepare with your child salads and vegetable dishes.
This is another good idea.
When the child feels he has some level of complicity with his parents having prepared something together, this can generate miracles in the intake of vegetables and fruits.
It's important to remember that the food habits the child learn at home will almost certainly mark their eating habits for the rest of his life, therefore, with these nine tips to make your children start eating vegetables you now have effective information to help you achieving your goal.
Implement any of these tips today, and give to your child the eating habits that will help him the rest of his life.