Sending our young ones into the care of preschools can be a matter of concern due to multiple questions boggling in your mind. Will my baby be happy in preschool? Will he communicate his needs to the caregivers? Will they eat well? These are just a few of the million concerns a parent will have while looking for an early learning centre in North Sydney or elsewhere.
If your kid is a fussy eater and hesitates to try new food elements or finish his plate, these concerns will be even bigger for you. Getting kids to eat their veggies, try fresh foods, or even finish dinner can be challenging at home or preschool. As a parent, you might feel like you’ve tried everything without any luck. Thankfully, you can try a few things to tackle the issue of fussy eaters from childhood so that you can send them away knowing that at least their little tummies will be full. Here are our tips to help you make your child love food and eat well-
Be a Role Model
We are guilty of not liking a particular vegetable and avoiding it all our life. However, we are grown-ups and can take a balanced meal through alternatives even if we avoid a specific food item. Nonetheless, we do not need to transfer the trait to our children. While at the dining table, be a role model to your child and try everything regardless of your liking. If you want your child to eat their veggies, you must also eat them. Show them that eating healthy can be delicious and satisfying. When your child continuously watches you eat every element served on the plate, they are sure to follow with time.
Make Mealtimes Fun
Nowadays, there are unique cutleries that can attract little children. On the market trip, you can ask your kid to choose their favourite plates and try serving food on them. When the excited little buddy shall see colourful veggies served on their favourite plates and cutlery, they are more likely to finish their meal. You can also include them in the cooking process and ask them to assist you as per their age. This way, they will feel that the food on the table is the outcome of their hard work and will try it.
Take Them Grocery Shopping
A trip to the grocer can help your kid understand more about food products. There they will witness colourful vegetables, and when you give them a choice to pick a new one, they will surely be happy to do so. Once you are back with the fresh veggies, the kids will be happy to try the ones they chose from the shop.
Stay Patient
One requires immense patience to teach a specific habit to children. When you have a fussy eater and want them to try all kinds of food and finish the plate, it requires you to maintain your calm. Some days you will see an empty, while there will also be times when they refuse to touch even their favourite items. Therefore, it’s ideal for maintaining your calm, pat your child on the back and continue trying. Eventually, you will notice them becoming better eaters and can search for the best “preschool near me” to send them to, knowing they will not stay hungry.
Avoid Force
Realising that nobody on this earth loves every veggie can make your life easier with the child. If the child strongly demonstrates unlikeness for a particular food product regardless of you trying an nth time, it’s better not to force them into eating. There are always alternatives for vitamins and minerals, and you can also find an alternate veggie for the one he dislikes.
Present The Meals Creatively
Sometimes it’s not the taste of a specific food item your child dislikes; instead, it’s the texture. Therefore trying to present the same food product in various textures can help you understand their liking. For example, if your kid doesn’t want to eat green peas as a salad or side dish, try mixing them with other food products and blending a smoothie. Chances are they won’t even know and will gulp the entire glass. Therefore it’s vital to be creative while feeding the kids.
Avoid Using Food as a Reward
We are all guilty of using food as a reward for our children. For example, we lure them with chocolates if they behave in the supermarket. Similarly, sliding a piece of cake if they finish the entire plate is another example. We mustn’t do so because they’ll start associating food with positive reinforcement and could become more prone to overeating later in life.
Try New Foods Frequently
Encourage trying new foods by offering the “one bite” rule at the dining table. You must also be a role model and take that first bite yourself, so the child follows. Let them know that it’s okay if they don’t like it but that they have to at least try it before making up their mind. This way, they will feel free from the pressure of liking something just because everyone else does. Doing so will also help them in preschool, where they may have to try new foods. After teaching the trait, you can happily look for the early learning centre near me and send your child realising that they will not come home hungry even if the food served was a new item.
Expand Their Palate Gradually
Start by introducing new foods that are similar to ones they already like. For instance, if they love cheese, they’ll also enjoy other dairy products, such as yogurt or cottage cheese. You can try introducing one food product and eventually add one more after a couple of days.
Maintain a Calm Atmosphere
Make sure mealtimes are relaxed and stress-free. If mealtime is a battle every night, they’ll never want to try new things. Take the pressure off and allow them to eat at their own pace.
Summing Up
With these ten tips, you’ll be well on your way to tackling the problem of fussy eaters from childhood. Just remember to be patient, have fun with it, and involve them in the process as much as possible. Eventually, those dreaded mealtimes will become something everyone looks forward to!
Are you still looking for an early learning centre near me in Sydney? We suggest approaching Toybox Early Learning, an expert team of teachers and caregivers ready to embrace your child with love. The atmosphere is fun and playful while children learn essential life lessons.
