Nanny to Mommy

Whether it’s fruit and vegetables, fish, or anything that looks plain weird, fussy eating is something that many parents will need to deal with at some point in their child’s lives. Some kids grow out of it, and they will happily scoff down everything on their plate. Others, however, will keep these fussy habits throughout their life. Not only does this affect their nutrition, but it also means they miss out on a veritable feast of delicious foods. You want your children to enjoy all the flavors of the world, so here are a few ways you can stop them from being such fussy eaters.

Kids love routine. It gives them a sense of order in a world they are still figuring out, and it’s also an awesome way for you to introduce foods they might not feel too keen on. If they associate specific parts of the day with mealtimes, they will feel more comfortable trying new things, as they will know that this is the only chance they’ll have to eat for a while. If they don’t eat, then don’t worry. Take their plate away after about 20 minutes (don’t force them to eat everything), and try again tomorrow. They’ll soon get the picture. 

You can’t expect your kids to develop healthy eating habits if you go around munching on candy and cake all day long, allowing the fruit to go rotten in the bowl. Even if you’re not especially a fan of certain fruits and veg, you know better than your kids. If you show them that there is nothing to worry about by eating their greens, they will follow suit. They will realize there is nothing to be fussy about at all. 

If there’s one fussy eater trend that needs to go, it’s hiding food under more appetizing parts of the meal. This will make your kids paranoid, and they might not even eat their favorite foods at all for fear you’ve snuck a carrot inside their mash potato. You want your kids to trust you, and the only way to do that is to be honest with them. You won’t win any points by being sneaky. 

While cartoons and kids’ books are excellent for keeping the kids engaged and introducing them to unique concepts, some are also filled with cliché ideas of what kids like and don’t like, including fruit and vegetables. When exposed to this, they become conditioned to believe that certain foods are icky, and they will avoid them, even if they’ve never tried them before. However, you can use resources such as Kurbo reviews to educate everybody (including yourself), which will make learning about good nutrition fun and effective. 

Most of the time, all kids need is a little encouragement, a slight nudge in the right direction. By making sure they kick these habits as early as possible and help them become more adventurous with their meals, you’ll have a certified foodie on your hands in no time. And that’s a good thing.