Cool tips & tricks to help fussy eaters enjoy their meals

Child experts view picky eating as a serious problem in which either kid tries to avoid certain foods (mostly nutritious food) very often or loves having the same grub more often. These results are owing to the children being sensitive to particular tastes, grains, and colors in foods. It’s common among the one-year-old lads as by then, and they start feeding themselves. This way, they have the freedom to choose what to eat and what to reject.Although this might seem normal considering it’s just their beginning, other parents whose kids once used to be ‘fussy eaters” recommend sticking to firm and restorative eating habits from the time they start all this. They suggest that if it’s not catered to early, kids might continue to act as fussy eaters for as long as 2-4 years, causing nutritional deficiencies, undernourishment, developmental delay, and stumbling growth among them.

Hence, if you don’t want your kids to put up a war against every food served to them, it’s time to act promptly by following the below-mentioned tips & tricks.

Tips and tricks

1.Let your kids be a part of their food preparation.

As soon as kids start walking and talking, they also develop some interest in cooking as well. Hence, you can utilize this enthusiasm for food to acquaint them with the foods they, in any case, probably won’t eat, particularly fruits and vegetables. Additionally, looking around the nursery, making meals together, and discussing things while shopping together at the market can prove to be significant in making every boring nourishment fascinating to your child. If in case, you’re working parents, you may keep these exercises for the weekends. But believe, when kids will get indulged in the making of their own food, they won’t regret having it.

2.Feed your kid’s food that’s easy to chew

The skills of rotatory chewing among kids start by the age of four to five. Till then, they hate chewing food presented to them, and it’s one of the reasons why they keep avoiding those foods (like raw fruits and vegetables), which require chewing. Hence, refrain from serving them such foods. For this, you can try the below ways of feeding them.

●Saute or slightly cook the hard vegetables and fruits like carrots, celery, apples, etc. to make them soft. ●Serve diced vegetables and fruits to the kids.

●Incorporate vegetables into soups.

●If your kids dislike nuts, feed them by making their powder and mixing it in their favorite foods. Crispy foods like those which are roasted or fried also require some chewing. So, let them grow up to be able to accept such foods.

3.The best time to feed kids is when they’re hungry.

It’s natural that kids are more likely to eat what they don’t like when they’re hungry, or nothing else is in their sight. Hence, in the event that your kid is refusing to eat anything at the moment, leave it for now. There’s a vastly improved possibility that he’ll eat in the next 2-3 hours or whenever his tummy calls.

Furthermore, if your youngster gets very eager and a meal isn’t exactly prepared at this point, what about a healthy starter (incorporating those things he dislikes) like a quick pizza with all vegetables or a mixed vegetable soup. On the off chance that your youngster is truly hungry, get him a wholewheat sandwich.

Also Read: 5 Simple Breakfast Recipes for Children

4.Add flavors they like

Have you heard of a toddler enjoying flavorless food or ignoring a pinch of spice to his food? I bet that you wouldn’t have! Kids love flavorful foods having a proper blend of spiciness, sweetness, and sourness. Although plain cooked vegetables are the best, yet you can’t ignore their palate. A flavor is like a gateway to helping your toddlers learn to eat the foods without putting on a fight. So, let them taste a lightly spiced sauce, herbs, etc.

5.Respect their eating quirks

Just like adults, kids too have their own quirks about eating. For example, your kid may enjoy his bread cut into triangles without crusts and will shake his head in disapproval when served in square shape and with the crust. Also, he may not like the same vegetable or dish the next day. It’s normal, and you should respect this. Always remember that kids are subject to react to different foods in different ways on different days.

6.Honor their independence

Don’t pressurize your kids to eat according to your preferences. Let them choose how much is suitable for them at the moment. Don’t tell them to eat two three more spoons, one more bread, fewer sweets, etc. So, limit your duty to just preparing their meals and leave the rest on them. Below are some common balanced meals, even a fussy eaters won’t resist.

Try some of these wholesome meals your kids won’t deny!

●Mix-vegetable soup with brown/multigrain bread,

●Strawberry smoothie (use honey instead of sugar for sweetness),

●Ham, egg, and cheese pizza,

●Broccoli and cheese nuggets,

●Sprouted moong dal cheela,

●Fruit custard,

●Steamed edamame with salt and pepper,

●Vegetable dumplings, etc.

These are some of the best meal ideas for fussy eaters. You can keep experimenting and inventing new dishes for your kids and let them eat everything which they would otherwise avoid. The above tips won’t serve their purpose in a day or two. It will take at least 8-15 tries for your kids to accept the food they used to run away from before. Hence, just remember that it’s just a phase that’ll pass away as usual. Some kids will respond quickly, others might prefer more time. But taking the average period into account, your child may get freedom from fussy eating by the time he reaches the age of six.  

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Also Read:

Small Appetites and other ‘Weight’ Issues: How to increase your Child’s appetite

Constipation in Children – Tips and Prevention

5 Simple Breakfast Recipes for Children

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