TIPS TO FEED A FUSSY EATER
Goo Chui Hoong, a mother of three, shares the following tips in getting fussy children to eat right.
1 MASK THE GREENS
Instead of forcing your child to eat their greens, create another dish with it. Smart home appliances such as a blender or chopper are useful gadgets in the kitchen.
You can chop up leafy vegetables and try adding it into foods they love such as omelettes or fried rice.
Cooking vegetables in tomato sauce is also a great way to hide chopped vegetables. Not only are tomatoes loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, the natural sweetness from tomatoes can mask any subtle bitterness from leafy greens.
2 CREATE FOOD ART
If you have the time, try out food art! Create art with the healthy food
you serve and that will get your child interested in their food.
3 MAKE IT FUN
Getting your child involved in food preparation can encourage them to eat better while exposing them to food knowledge. Bring your child to a farm/garden and show them where food comes from. Take them shopping and let them choose what vegetables to cook for dinner. Let your child be a kitchen helper and see how their food is prepared.
4 AVOID SNACKING BEFORE MEALTIMES
Feed your child at regular times every couple of hours. This prevents them from getting
overly hungry and wanting to snack all day. Offer your child healthy snacks such as a slice of fruit, steamed corn or sweet potato, a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt. Ensure there is a reasonable gap between snack time and main meals.
5 BUILD YOUR CHILD’S APPETITE FOR MEALS
Get your child outdoors to play and use up his energy. This not only helps with myopia prevention, it makes them hungry and ready to eat anything healthy you serve.
6 RESPECT YOUR CHILD’S APPETITE
If your child has no appetite during a meal, do not force the entire meal upon them. The tug of war during mealtimes may cause anxiety or aversion to food in your child. Instead, try giving them a choice, for example, between one or two portions of the food. Children may relent when given a degree of autonomy.
7 SET A GOOD EXAMPLE
Children are likely to be influenced by their parents’ eating habits. If parents eat a variety of healthy food, their children will follow suit. If a parent stocks only healthy food and eliminates sugary drinks at home, the child’s food options will also be limited to those nutritious choices.