Many children's diets are full of the kid friendly staples. Pizza, macaroni, and PB&J are of the go to food options. While ocassionally these options are fine, families could benefit from a wider variety of foods and flavors.
Getting kids, and even sometimes parents, to eat more fruits and vegetables can be a struggle. Some kids don't like a certain texture. Some parents don't have time to cook an elaborate dinner. The excuses can come from all directions. It is time to put the excuses aside.
Booginhead founder and inventor of Squeez'ems reusable food pouches, Sari Davidson-Crevinm brainstormed six ways to make tough foods appealing for picky eaters. Here are her suggestions to skip the excuses and start anew.
Be patient with new foods. Getting a child to try new foods takes time. Avoid pressuring your kids and try to make it a positive experience. Encourage your child by talking about a food's color, shape, smell, and texture. Experts say it can take as many as 10 exposures to a new food before a child decides if he likes it.
Get your kids involved with meals. Get your kids involved with the process, from grocery shopping to preparing meals. Also ask for their help when planning the meal. They will feel more in control if they help to make the food decisions.
Plant a garden with your kids. Kids love digging in the dirt, planting seeds, picking ripe fruits and vegetables, and washing them. They will be much more interested in eating what they helped to grow.
Make dinnertime a family affair. Gather the family around the table and make dinnertime a time to talk about your day and create a relaxed atmosphere that’s ideal for eating without pressure. Make it more interesting by having conversation starters, such as “If you could be any animal, which would it be?”
Make it fun. Serve veggies with a favorite dip or sauce. Use cookie cutters to make shapes, serve on a fun plate, and get creative. Also offer breakfast foods for dinner, and serve a variety of brightly colored foods.
Change The Texture. Puree foods so that texture is not an obstacle to healthy eating. You can create all kinds of nutritious combinations of fruits and vegetables by turning it into a smoothie! Then serve it in a reusable food pouch! The new screw top Squeez’Ems reusable and refillable food pouches hold healthy purees so kids can eat healthy while on-the-go. They are easy to fill, clean, and store, and they are also BPA, PVC, and Phthalate-free.
Sari Davidson-Crevin is founder of Booginhead. The company invents innovative, fun and functional products that help parents solve every day problems and simplify their lifestyles. For example, the Squeez'Ems eco-friendly reusable food pouch; great for on-the-go families, DIY baby foods, and apple sauce, yogurts or smoothies in school lunch boxes. For more info, visit Booginhead’s website, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter and Pinterest.