If you have small children, you probably already know that it can be a real chore to feed them. This is especially true if they are picky about what food they will and will not eat. It is important to ensure your children get enough nutrition from their food and luckily, there are ways of convincing them to eat even if they don’t want to. It is a good idea to have a few favorite dishes on standby, such as crockpot chicken noodle soup, hotdogs, pizza, homemade chicken noodle soup, and chicken nuggets with cheesy mashed potatoes.
It might be more of a chore but the easiest thing to do is to prepare a few different dishes so your child can decide for himself what he want to eat. You could even try asking what they are in the mood for. If the child thinks that he can make the decision about food himself sometimes, he will be happy to eat what you have made especially for him. You can do what you like with his suggestions, of course. He might suggest homemade chicken noodle soup, in which case you can make a crockpot chicken noodle soup if you are going to be out all day and won’t have much time before his mealtime.
It is a good idea to encourage your child to sample everything you prepare. Many children don’t like the look of a food (”it’s a yucky color” or “it’s looks slimy” are common excuses) but your child won’t know what the food tastes like until he tries it, so encourage him to take a no thank you bite. In this way, he will get to taste the food and he might actually like it and ask for more.
Another way that you can encourage your child to eat is to give the food names of their favorite cartoon or fictional character. Atomic Betty beans or Patrick pancakes can bring a smile to your child’s face and a full belly. Children identify with their favorite shows, and if they think that they are eating their favorite cartoons food, then they will most likely clean their plates.
It is a good idea to make colorful dishes. You could use red, green, and yellow peppers and call the dish Christmas casserole for example. Corn, broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes all add color.
Children know when they like and if you present something, which looks boring, they won’t be keen to try it. They don’t understand or care about nutrition either so it is up to you to make sure your child gets enough.
If you like to cook, one way that you can encourage your child to eat is to let them prepare the meal with you. When you do this, they will see the ingredients, which are being added and feel like they are a part of the cooking process. They are more likely to eat what they prepare because they are proud to have done it. They would much rather have some homemade chicken noodle soups than the stuff in the red and white can.
If there is a food, your child doesn’t like, but it is necessary for the recipe, you can mince it in the food processor when your child is in another room, before adding it to the pot. Your child won’t be able to see or taste it in the final dish but they will be getting the nutrition from the hidden ingredient.
When you are feeding your child, sometimes you will need to use alternative ingredients or different methods. The main thing to remember is that when dealing with kids, you do need a certain amount of flexibility. The chicken noodle soup your child would never eat before can become his favorite if you let him help you prepare it and give it a cartoon name.
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