We know that like every parent, you want your kids to eat nutritious food. This often requires convincing them to eat food items that they haven’t tried earlier. Generally, these kids need more than a LITTLE convincing. As parents, you adopt new strategies to convince them. If you are looking for some ways to introduce new foods to your kids, then you are in the right place. We are going to share some tips through which it would be easier for you to make your kids eat something new.
1. Start with small portions
Don’t get too excited about introducing something new to your child. They might not like the idea too much. This is why it is recommended that you should start the process with small portions or maybe call them extra small portions. Just a bite or a spoon full would make it easier for you to convince them to eat. If they’ll like it, then you can give them more of it, but if they don’t, then you can change your recipe and try something else with those food items.
2. Wait for them to get hungry
Making kids eat something new when they are hungry is a better option than making them eat when they are full. Being hungry, they would have a lesser chance of rejecting particular food, and you can be successful in your effort. Additionally, kids when hungry often like the stuff that is offered to them. So, you can use this technique and see the results.
3. Mix it with the food they like
Offering them something entirely new is even difficult for them to take in. So, mix it with one of their favourite foods, and they might be more willing to try it.
4. Use flavours
It works for vegetables. If you are forcing them to eat a vegetable, don’t keep them too simple. Try adding some flavors in it. You might not agree, but a good recipe can have an influence on the kid too. So, especially when you are aiming for a new vegetable to be introduced, make sure to add flavors in it.
5. Be creative
For the artistic parents, be creative in the way you present the food. Even as adults, we first judge what we eat based on how it is presented to us on the plate. Consider making the plate of food into a piece of artwork. Cute faces or the use of cookie cutters are easy options.
6. Encourage them to be part of the cooking process
Kitchens are often seen as a ‘dangerous’ place for children. However this shouldn’t stop your child from being part of the cooking process. They can sit at the table or bench and help wash the food in a bowl or mix the food using their hands. Older children may be able to help with peeling and/or cutting the vegetables. If the child has been part of the meal preparation process, they may be more willing to try the food.
7. Don’t be too hard on them
We know that you want your kids to be healthy but don’t force a particular food item too much. It would reduce the chances of its acceptance even later in life. You can persuade them a few times, but if they still don’t want to eat, maybe try another food option in the meantime. With this strategy, there are chances that they’ll get curious about that food and eat it when you’ll cook it next time.
With these tips at hand, you can expect your kiddo to try something for the first time, but there is no guarantee. You’ll have to keep the slow pace and let them adjust to it. Don’t go too hard on them or else you’ll lose the possibility of making time eat that food at a future time as well.
What do I do if my child is a picky eater and these tips don’t work?
If you have tried a range of strategies and your child is still unwilling to try new foods, your child may be a picky eater. He or she may benefit from additional support from a health professional, like a paediatric speech therapist, occupational therapist and/or nutritionist. Some therapists are specifically trained to help picker eaters increase their range of food intake. Check out our therapist directory to find a therapist near you.