Encouraging Kids To Eat Healthy

Photo by Ekaterina Shakharova on Unsplash

‘Beta bas ek bite aur!’, ‘Just a little more!’ I know a lot of moms would have been there and done that. Isn’t it mommies? We mommies do whatever we can to make our little ones eat but many a times no matter what means we use to allure kids into eating their food, it would go in vain. Right? Then comes scolding and forcing which may work at a point but surely make kids more reluctant and irritated.

Here, in this article I will be sharing a few tips on how to encourage your kids to not only eat but to enjoy their meals as well:

1. The first step is to make their plates look colourful as colors always attract every kid’s attention. Try to include a lot of colours in their meals. You can add colourful veggies which undoubtedly look colourful and solves the purpose of healthy balanced diet.
2. Try to use colorful and easy to handle plates, spoons and cups. If a kid can carry his or her own spoon and cup all by herself then it will surely increase their appetite. Imagine yourself using a heavy spoon for eating, will you be able to enjoy your meal?? A big no I guess! Check out training cups and plates for little learners "https://themomstore.in/collections/lunch-boxes-and-dinner-plates"
3. Do not repeat same dishes daily. Instead of cooking same thing over and over again, try to include all kinds of nutritious things in kids’ diet charts. This will break the monotony of cooking and eating same thing daily.
4. We mommies have a habit of first feeding our children and then eating our meals afterwards because of a number of reasons like for our own mental satisfaction, eating afterwards so that we can eat in peace and alike. But trust me eating together will encourage kids to eat their meals on their own. I can assure you that this way they will enjoy the food as well.
5. Many mums don’t let their kids eat food on their own in order to avoid them to make a mess. This is so wrong at so many levels. This way kids won’t be able to concentrate on their meals let alone enjoying it. So, try to keep the worry of them creating a mess at bay, instead watch and love how fondly they would pick their food and eat it.
6. Many a times we make an unintentional yet a big mistake of stuffing our kids with snacks like cookies and chips. Although there is no harm in giving them such foods once in a while but remember not to make it a habit. These foods don’t provide essential nutrients and decrease appetite gradually and eventually. So, try to keep room in their tiny stomach for required nutrients like proteins, vitamins and minerals as they ensure proper growth and development.
7. Presentation is one sure shot way to attract a kid’s attention to their foods. Try to cut bread(roti, parantha and so), fruits and veggies in different attractive shapes or may be their favourite cartoon characters. This way they will come running to have their meal.
8. If your kids love snacks then you can choose corns, roasted makhanas (lotus seeds), nuts and raisins, yogurts, cheese etc. to make delicious snacks. These foods will provide both nutrients and taste.

The key is to make meal times fun. Meal times should not be made stressful in which a kid is forced to eat because this can work for a day or maximum a week but not always. In order to trick kids into eating their foods you can also let your kid help in food preparation. So dear mommies - you will have to put an extra effort in making kids eat but it will worth every effort of yours because seeing your kid eating with all their heart is one of the best experiences in the world!

Akanksha Saini is a mother of two lovely toddlers who keep her on her toes all day long. She has a passion for reading and writing. She is net qualified Assistant Professor who is currently enjoying her motherhood to the fullest. 

Found this article useful? Read more blogs at www.themomstore.in.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mom Store.