Every now and then I’ll have an employee approach me with the question “How do I get my kid to eat healthy?” Some of you may be able to solve this issue simply by making sure healthy foods are always available. Some of you may be able to solve this issue simply by making sure healthy foods are always available AND THEN throwing in the classic “You’ll eat those green beans because I said so.” FYI…that’s how my dad always handled this issue and…it worked. But, for those who need some additional suggestions, here are some tips that were either A) used by my mom–aka Mother of Six Kids Extraordinaire or B) I’ve learned during my many years of working with children.
- Kids like their names and anything that showcases their names. In order to take advantage of this, you can turn food into spelling tools. Cut apples, carrots, cheese, etc… into “sticks” and then spell your kid’s name on the plate with the sticks. For the younger ones, this will also help them learn how to spell their name. You can also spell out the other family members’ names.
- Follow the Age Rule. However old your child is, that’s how many peas, corn, beans, etc…they have to eat. If your child is 4 years old and isn’t crazy about corn, they get four kernels of corn put on their plate. In the eyes of the child, this helps make the Herculean task of eating something deemed undesirable as doable. Plus, it provides exposure. As a rule, being exposed to a food that doesn’t instantly gel with your taste buds about 10 times, will result in developing a taste for it.
- Keep colored toothpicks, little swords typically used in mixed drinks, or cocktail umbrellas on hand. You can cut your child’s food into shapes and then let your kids choose the special toothpick they want and use that as their “utensil” they eat with. This also works great for small vegetables like peas, corn, and lima beans. This makes mealtime just a little bit different and helps get kids engaged and interested in eating.
- Regardless of how far technology comes or how tech savvy kids get, there are some things that kids will always love. One of those things is stickers. Similar to how chore charts can work wonders for teaching children the importance of helping around the house, an eating chart can help encourage your child’s healthy eating habits. Get a poster board and have your child decorate it however they choose. This will help encourage a sense of ownership in the project. Make sure that the board is displayed in a visible location in the house. Whenever a healthy food is eaten that they might not normally enjoy or a healthy decision is made, a sticker should be placed on the chart to celebrate the good choice. It is important to remember that things like toothpicks and stickers need to be treated as special. In order to choose a sticker or use a toothpick, the child should be required to make a true attempt at eating. Also, toothpicks and stickers should not be played with or awarded outside of meal time in order to make sure it is reinforced in the child’s mind that they are special and tied to a specific activity.
- Kids are attracted to shapes, colors, or anything that makes eating different or fun. If you have the time, or as a special treat, you can turn healthy foods into healthy creations. Here are a couple of fun ideas that you can try at home with your own kids:
