Sophia Komninou

Non-monetary rewards aren’t much better either.

The phrase: “You can have dessert as long as you eat your sprouts”, will ring a bell for most people.

This, though said with the best intentions, may increase the intake of the target food in the short term, but can convey the wrong message to its recipients: “This food must be really bad if I am getting something for eating it!”. It not only places dessert as a food of high

Sometimes our own dislikes get in the way.

exposures.

You also need to let your children experience the food with all of their senses — so don’t “hide” vegetables. Yes, sneaking a nutritious veggie into a fussy eater’s food might get them to eat it, but if the child doesn’t know a cake has courgettes in it, they will never eat courgettes on their own. It can also backfire if children can lose their trust in food when they realise they have been deceived.

Likewise, don’t draw unnecessary attention to specific foods that you might think your child is not going to like.

Sometimes our own dislikes get in the way, and create the expectation that our child is not going to like it either. Our food preferences are formed through previous experiences, which children don’t have.

Praising and bribing are commonly used, especially when we don’t expect children to like the food offered, but it can be counterproductive. Instead, serve food in a positive environment but keep your reactions neutral.

This isn’t just about what is on the plate, it’s about a relationship with food. If your children are old enough, let them help in the kitchen. It can be very messy and time consuming, but it creates a positive atmosphere around food.

It is also important to have frequent family meals and consume vegetables yourself. It’s been shown that children who eat with family do eat more vegetables. Kids often copy adults, so set a good example by routinely serving and consuming vegetables.

There is sadly no single answer and it might be a case of trial and error. But these actions can create positive associations with all kinds of foods, and you can help your kids lead healthier lives.

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