Getting children to eat a healthy, balanced diet can often be a tricky task, especially if your kids are picky or you have children with a considerable age gap. A four-year-old might not want what a 13-year-old will happily eat, for example. For some helpful guidance and advice on how to make a meal your kids will love, read on from step number one below.
StepsPart 1Part 1 of 3:Deciding What to Make
1Make a meal that all your children like. If ‘Tommy’ eats all of his chicken, but none of the peas and ‘Sarah’ is the exact opposite, then maybe that isn’t the best choice. Choosing a single meal that everyone eats all the elements might be impossible, so make sure there’s something in the meal that each kid likes.
2Give choices at mealtimes. If you have lots of options for your child(ren) they may eat more of it. If your child(ren) like chicken, try making chicken with a choice of peas or rice, don’t just say “we are eating chicken for dinner”. How you present the meal to your kids, even verbally, can make a difference, ‘spice’ it up a little when you tell them what’s for dinner- try saying it’s Pollo a la mom!
3Gather as much information as you can about what food your child(ren) enjoy. Ask them what kind of food they have (had) at school, and whether they liked it or not. Ask them what their favorite food is, or maybe even what they want for dinner. Make sure to ask them early, so you have plenty of time to prepare/make it and gather any ingredients you need.
4Mix it up. Almost everyone loves a change most of the time. Even if you’re eating the same foods, try cooking them differently with new recipes. If you had rice and beef yesterday, have beef and broccoli today, or make the beef in a new type of sauce. The possibilities are endless, but try to stay away from the same thing over and over again.
5Choose healthy options. You don’t have to go overboard with this, but finding something the kid(s) like that is healthy is always ideal. Find out what vegetables, fruits, grains, meats, etc. they like and try to mix in one of everything each meal, or every other meal. Say have their favorite fruit one day, and then vegetables the next.
6Make sure you like it too. When you make meals just for your child(ren) and you don’t like it, then that’s probably not the right choice for a meal. You might even end up setting a bad example for your kids because if they see you aren’t eating something, they’ll most likely think they don’t have to eat it either. Make something that’ll be enjoyed by the whole household. Part 2Part 2 of 3:Convincing Them to Try It
1Bribe them. Try offering them something in exchange for trying new food. Say, “You can have your (favorite snack) if you try this new food I made. You don’t have to eat all of it, but just try.”Don’t bribe your children too much, as it could lead to unhealthy eating habits.
2Show them someone else is doing it. If you can get one child or someone older to try the food, tell your child(ren) “(Name) is doing it!” Or, use a little bit of hero-worship. “(their favorite actor/actress/celebrity) eats his/her food!” Part 3Part 3 of 3:Making the Food
1Mix it up. If they don’t like a food, try mixing it up and finding what they don’t like about it so you can make it differently, such as using a different sauce. Alternatively, if a child just really doesn’t like something, consider abandoning it entirely.
2Make it pretty. A lot of times, the difference between whether a child(ren) will try/like a certain food is how it looks. If it’s grey, black, gooey looking, or has eyes/scales chances are they won’t go near it. Try adding some color and hiding the worst features about it by mixing it with other things!Have fun with the food. Often the deciding factor in getting your child to eat a meal is how the food looks. Arrange it on the plate in a fun way, make shapes/animals in the food if you can. Anything simple really might get them to try it.
3Get them cooking. If your kid(s) are older (or even younger) let them help you out with cooking. Even if it’s just helping you stir or pour something, if they had a hand in making it, they might be more interested in trying it.
4Bite your tongue. It can be rather frustrating, you slaved over a hot stove, and your child won’t touch the food, but if you try to lay down the law by saying “Eat it now!” chances are they’ll only resist more.
