Summer is now only a
few weeks away and the tanks and I have a lot to look forward to. My boys have
great appetites but there are days when they decide to be the pickiest eaters
in the world. I think this has more to do with their moods than the menu
sometimes. In order to combat this I have been thinking of ways to make meal
time more of a treat and to get them open to whatever is on their plate. It is
very important to introduce various foods from a young age to make sure your
kids picky eating habits to continue later on in life. Here are a couple ideas I had to make sure
meal time is an event that everyone looks forward to.
-Involve the boys: Everyone likes to feel important so I have been
trying to have the boys be involved in preparing the food however they can.
Even if it just means setting the table it’s a way to them in the mood and
ready to eat.
-Variety: I mentioned this earlier but variety is the spice of
life. Getting your kids introduced to all sorts of foods from a young age can
create eating habits that they will carry throughout their life. Showing your
kids there is more to the world than pizza and chicken fingers is important.
-Talk with your child: During meal time when your kids are eating
tell them about what they are eating. An open dialogue is always a great way to
keep your kids interested and asking questions. If your child asks questions
give him answers. If he says I don’t want to eat this tell him why it is
important and what it does.
-Keep mealtime in the kitchen: It is important to build good meal
time habits now. When I was growing up my family had dinner at 6PM every night
around our kitchen table. It was something I looked forward to and could count
on. If you let your kids eat in front of the television one day they will
wonder why they cannot do it the next. Routine is important and it is your job
to make sure that routine is the correct one.
My children’s
nutrition is something I have deeply invested myself in. With the way our
society views food I can’t help but be cautious of my children’s diet. I would
love to hear some other takes on the subject and how other peoples children act
during meal time.
