How To Get The Kids To Try New Food

It is important for children to acquire healthy eating habits early in life. In this article, we will therefore give you some tips to get the kids to try new foods.

Hopefully it will help your children to dare to try useful alternatives. In addition, they may eventually become aware of the importance of proper nutrition. It is important that each meal contains vitamins, minerals and other important building blocks for healthy growth.

Tips for getting kids to try new foods

Be consistent

When serving children new foods, do not give up because they refuse for the first time. Keep trying for a few days. Also, check if they have an allergic reaction that should be treated. 

At one year of age, children’s diets should include fruits, vegetables, grains and protein sources.

Create routines

If your child is already eating by himself, try to follow the same routines for the whole family. Create a dinner plan for the week and do not snack between meals.

It can be tempting to give children milk and cakes for snacks, but it affects both their routines and metabolism.

Make sure the children are hungry

The key to getting your kids to try new foods is to make sure they are hungry when you offer them food. If you give them other food, they will not be interested in trying the new food, because they are still full.

If it has been one to two hours since the last meal, you can feed the children again.

Make the food appealing

Young children will be more likely to try food if you serve it in an appealing way. Visual impressions are something you can use to get the children to try new foods. Children like things that look nice.

It is also much easier to get children to try new foods that look appetizing. For example, if you make a bear out of rice and decorate it with vegetables, the shape of the food will make the children much more interested.

Use flavors they like

If the children already like apple, for example, you can increase your chances of success by mixing apple with another fruit. It works extra well on older children who may be asking you about new flavors. Sometimes it can be difficult to get children to try new flavors. 

Grow food at home

If you have space at home, feel free to involve the children in growing their own food. It makes the whole process more fun and they also learn things at the same time.

If the children get to see the development of the fruit from a small seed to it lying on the plate, they get a much better experience. It is also nice to have some help and company in the kitchen while you cook the food. 

Do not offer substitutes

If you want the children to eat varied food with many nutrients, then you should not give them a plan B. If the children know that you have other alternatives, they will certainly not want to try new food. 

If you have already created a menu, then the whole family should follow it. Make no exceptions!

Cook varied food

You can not ask your child to have a varied diet if the same does not apply to yourself. Try to be innovative with your recipes. Even if you use the same ingredients, you can experiment with different ways to cook them.

If your children are picky about food, this is something they have learned. Children quickly adopt habits that they learn from the rest of the family and other relatives.

Go shopping for food together

If you can not grow fruit and vegetables at home, you can still take the children to the store to shop. It is a good opportunity for them to learn how to choose healthy food. Make sure you tell them about the special thing about the food they choose.

Children’s growth and development depends a lot on the variety and nutrients in what they eat.

Remember that food does not just make your child grow physically. Food is also nutrition for the brain and helps cognitive development. Make sure to make today’s dinner a fun and rewarding moment for all family members.