Anyone with kids is undoubtedly familiar with putting a plate full of nutritious and tasty food in front of their child, only for them to turn their nose up at it. This can be frustrating, but parents also often worry about the eating habits of their offspring. Without a balanced diet, your child won’t get all of the nutrients and vitamins they need to grow and develop.

So, if you have noticed that your child is a picky eater, here are some tips to get them eating.

Buy High-Quality Food

If you feed your child low-quality meat, fruit, and veg, you might struggle to help them build a positive relationship with food. There is a pervasive thought that children won’t appreciate quality foodstuffs. There is some truth to this since their pallets are less developed. However, by feeding them high-quality ingredients like the meat offered by IMS of Smithfield, a halal butcher in London, you can help to foster a love of food in your children.

Eat With Your Children

Sometimes picky eaters don’t actually have an issue with the taste and texture of foods. Instead, it is that their relationship with mealtime is not a positive one. You can alter their mindset towards sitting down and eating by making dinner a family affair.

Start by encouraging your children to get involved in the preparation of meals. This will help them become comfortable with ingredients they might not be familiar with and feel safe around foods they don’t like. Also, make a point of sitting down to eat together as a family. Children mimic those around them, so if they see the family all eating unfamiliar foods, they will become more adventurous with new meals.

Don’t Make a Fuss

You should set a window for mealtimes, after which you clear away the plates and excuse your children from the table. Sure, it might not feel great if they refuse to eat the meal you’ve slaved over for them, but kicking up a fuss can make it worse.

Techniques like not allowing your kids down from the table until they’ve finished their meal can entrench picky eating habits by perpetuating a negative association with foods they don’t like.

Opt For Small Portions

While it might be tempting to put mountains of food on a picky eater’s plate to encourage them to eat as much as possible, this can be counterproductive. Instead, it is better to go for smaller serving sizes and let them clear their plate before offering them seconds.

Less is more when building a healthy relationship with food, so forcing your child to clear their plate if they’re not hungry can worsen the situation.

The Takeaway

Overall, fussy eaters can be frustrating and worrying in equal measure. However, you mustn’t panic or force your child to eat as this can create negative associations with food and mealtimes. Be compassionate and consider the suggestions above to improve your child’s relationship with eating.

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