21 Aug 8 Tips for Picky Eaters and Toddlers
Faced with a picky eater? We asked all the awesome moms we could what they do to get their kids to eat healthy foods and these were the top tips for introducing new foods and teaching your kids to have a healthy relationship with foods. If you read through the list and have additional tips to share, comment below or head to the SuperLife Facebook page and share! Tag your tips with #SuperKids for everyone to easily find. Building healthy eating habits in kids is critical and we should all be in it together! Here are 8 tips for picky eaters:
1. Get your kids involved in planning and preparing meals! Encourage an adventurous spirit! Have them pick a new food or dish to make that is their choice. It gets them invested in the process and open to new things!
2. Make some family food rules:
Rule 1: Your children do not control family meal choices, mom and dad do! It’s a key mindset to stick to.
Rule 2: Eating is a family activity. The whole family eats the same thing at each meal. This helps avoid food battles and encourages children to eat what is served.
Rule 3: Gratefulness always, and NO complaining allowed! Food is first for nourishment, and this is an important thing to teach children. There is a big difference between the children I interacted with at meal times from around the world and here. They were grateful for whatever was presented to them. Teaching an attitude of gratefulness for the food that is given is so important for children and for ourselves. Besides learning gratefulness, complaining about the food prepared is both rude to the cook and encourages a closed-minded attitude.
Rule 4: Food is not a reward. Food is for nourishment, not entertainment, a bribe, or emotional reward. Teaching this young will encourage a healthy, life-long relationship with food.
3. Go to the source by visiting a farmers’ market and seeing fresh and colorful food all around them. Plus, they can ask endless questions at all the different booths!
4. Make healthy snacks available at home or on the go. Have a whenever snack drawer in the refrigerator or a fruit bowl on the counter. This includes having fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables such as carrots or cucumbers, and homemade cookies or nut bars.
5. Offer them nutritious smoothies to give a super blast of nutrition! They are filled with life giving fuel! Keep trying different recipes until you find the one they love! There are endless options.
6. Be a role model – let your kids see you enjoying fresh, healthy foods on a regular basis.
7. Don’t give up! It can take 5 to 10 exposures to tasting a new food before a child is willing to take the plunge on a new taste.
8. Start early! Use all snacks and mealtimes as opportunities to show and teach healthy eating.
You’ve got this!
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