HOW TO HANDLE A PICKY EATER

• Avoid conflict at all costs, even if it means having to deal with the plate of food your child refused to touch. If your child is hungry afterwards, offer him the same plate of food. • Try to share a meal together as a family at least three nights a week, and not in front of the television. This will create a feeling of togetherness. • Make mealtimes fun! Involve your children by letting them set the table or adding the décor of their choice. • Have a picnic. Sometimes your little one battles to use cutlery. Allow him to eat with his hands. • Use food colouring to add colour to your meals. Let your child choose the colour he wants to use for his milk when you make porridge. You can even colour mashed potatoes. What is more exciting than green mash? • If your child is set on eating certain foods like peas or carrots, let him be, but introduce a different food twice a week. • If he only eats fruit make sure that there are a lot of fruits available to nibble on throughout the day. Luckily fruit contains a lot of vitamins. • Introduce fruit bars when your child is old enough to digest nuts and seeds. • Let him nibble on dried fruit, biltong, Provita with cheese, boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. • Add crushed nuts to yoghurt or porridge. • Have fun making vegetable or fruit kebabs. • Tomato sauce is always a favourite, and it’s healthy. • Never underestimate the power of eggs. It is high in protein, iron and the Vitamin-b groups. • Dates are a good source of energy, vitamins and minerals. • Give soya products a try if your child does not like meat or chicken. • Limit sweets to once or twice a week. • Every child needs a vitamin booster regardless of whether he or she eats well. A multivitamin that contains zinc stimulates the appetite.