In the last 6 years, I've helped hundreds of families get their picky eaters to try new foods on their own - without being sneaky or forceful. The most common challenge that parents worry about is kids who don't like vegetables.
Here are five strategies that have proven successful for many families to get their kids to eat vegetables:
1. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Studies show that it takes on average between 10 – 30 times of seeing a new food before a child will try and like it. Of course this will vary from child-to-child and from food-to-food. Studies also show that parents usually give up after 5 times. Don’t give up. You never know when the magical time will be that your child will try (and like) a food. Instead of thinking “my child doesn’t like it” change your attitude to “my child doesn’t like it yet”. Patience is a difficult, but necessary, quality if you’ve got a picky eater.
2. Be a "trying new food" role model. As the saying goes “action speak louder than words”. When was the last time that you tried a new food? Or, re-tried a food that you didn’t like previously? If you want your child to try new foods, be a “trying new food” role model.
3. Think beyond dinner. I feel badly for poor old dinner. In many families it’s the meal where we most want kids to behave well. But it’s also the only time of day when kids are presented with the challenge of new foods. Instead of only serving vegetables at dinner, serve them at other times of day. Lunch, snacks, even breakfast are all fantastic opportunities to present kids with new foods.
4. Variety is the spice of life. Young kids have more sensitive taste buds that we adults. The taste and texture differences of a vegetable when it’s prepared different ways is particularly evident to young taste buds. For example, raw broccoli is very different than steamed broccoli, which is very different than broccoli in a stir-fry, which is different again from broccoli in a casserole. Take advantage of this. If your child hasn’t liked (or even tried) a vegetables prepared in one way, don’t stop making it in other presentations.
5. If you sneak, don't forget the obvious veggies. Often parents ask me my opinion about sneaking in vegetables. Studies show that kids do get more servings of vegetables in families where they add pureed vegetables to dishes. And, most of us could use to eat more veggies, so exploring new dishes that include veggies is a fantastic idea! However, if all you’re serving your child is mac and cheese and brownies, all they’re learning is to eat mac and cheese and brownies. You may know that there’s cauliflower in the mac and cheese and beets in the brownies, but your child doesn’t. If you choose to sneak in veggies, also be sure to serve obvious veggies (e.g. serve steamed broccoli on the side of that mac and cheese). Even if your child doesn’t eat the obvious ones, you’re role modeling choosing to eat vegetables – an important lesson for life-long healthy eating habits.
Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD helps you experience the pleasure (and energy) of healthy eating. After 6 years of only working with the toughest customers (i.e. picky kids), she is now serving adults who want amazing energy to live their busy lives without sacrificing the pleasure of delicious food. Discover how (and get recipes too) at www.KristenYarker.com
www.KristenYarker.com
www.Facebook.com/KristenYarkerNutrition
Twitter: @KristenYarker
Pinterest: KristenYarker
Here are five strategies that have proven successful for many families to get their kids to eat vegetables:
1. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Studies show that it takes on average between 10 – 30 times of seeing a new food before a child will try and like it. Of course this will vary from child-to-child and from food-to-food. Studies also show that parents usually give up after 5 times. Don’t give up. You never know when the magical time will be that your child will try (and like) a food. Instead of thinking “my child doesn’t like it” change your attitude to “my child doesn’t like it yet”. Patience is a difficult, but necessary, quality if you’ve got a picky eater.
2. Be a "trying new food" role model. As the saying goes “action speak louder than words”. When was the last time that you tried a new food? Or, re-tried a food that you didn’t like previously? If you want your child to try new foods, be a “trying new food” role model.
3. Think beyond dinner. I feel badly for poor old dinner. In many families it’s the meal where we most want kids to behave well. But it’s also the only time of day when kids are presented with the challenge of new foods. Instead of only serving vegetables at dinner, serve them at other times of day. Lunch, snacks, even breakfast are all fantastic opportunities to present kids with new foods.
4. Variety is the spice of life. Young kids have more sensitive taste buds that we adults. The taste and texture differences of a vegetable when it’s prepared different ways is particularly evident to young taste buds. For example, raw broccoli is very different than steamed broccoli, which is very different than broccoli in a stir-fry, which is different again from broccoli in a casserole. Take advantage of this. If your child hasn’t liked (or even tried) a vegetables prepared in one way, don’t stop making it in other presentations.
5. If you sneak, don't forget the obvious veggies. Often parents ask me my opinion about sneaking in vegetables. Studies show that kids do get more servings of vegetables in families where they add pureed vegetables to dishes. And, most of us could use to eat more veggies, so exploring new dishes that include veggies is a fantastic idea! However, if all you’re serving your child is mac and cheese and brownies, all they’re learning is to eat mac and cheese and brownies. You may know that there’s cauliflower in the mac and cheese and beets in the brownies, but your child doesn’t. If you choose to sneak in veggies, also be sure to serve obvious veggies (e.g. serve steamed broccoli on the side of that mac and cheese). Even if your child doesn’t eat the obvious ones, you’re role modeling choosing to eat vegetables – an important lesson for life-long healthy eating habits.
Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD helps you experience the pleasure (and energy) of healthy eating. After 6 years of only working with the toughest customers (i.e. picky kids), she is now serving adults who want amazing energy to live their busy lives without sacrificing the pleasure of delicious food. Discover how (and get recipes too) at www.KristenYarker.com
www.KristenYarker.com
www.Facebook.com/KristenYarkerNutrition
Twitter: @KristenYarker
Pinterest: KristenYarker
No comments:
Post a Comment