Encourage your Child to Eat Well by Using this Ultimate Guide

Do you feel as though your child isn’t eating as well as they could be?

Maybe you feel as though you could be doing more to try and encourage them, but you just don’t know where to start. Either way, this guide will help you to make a positive change for the whole family.

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Use a Reward Chart

Reward charts are ideal if you want to provide your child with a simple and clear reinforcement of their behaviour. It also allows you to keep track of their habits too, so you can see where changes have to be made.

If you can, it is a good idea for you to give your child a gold star or even a sticker when they are able to finish their meal or even when they try out new food. You can also reward them when they are able to hit a new target. Either way, the process of trying new things is always more positive if you can back it up with things that your child views as being positive.

Gentle Encouragement

At the end of the day, children are not going to eat food simply because you put it in front of them.

They may need a nudge from time to time and this is fine. Using a couple of key phrases that play on your child and their desire to avoid missing out is a great way for you to encourage them to finish their food. If you can, serve them a smaller portion so it is less phasing for them. You can also make jokes and games about them eating as well as this is a great way for you to give them the encouragement they need to make the best decisions.

If you want them to eat more fruit, why not think about giving them some fruit flavoured jelly so you can encourage them to eat more fruit without pushing an apple on them, which they may find boring? By following tips like this, you can be sure to make a huge difference to your child.

Play with your Food

Children have to be stimulated at the end of the day, and this is especially the case if you want something to become routine. If you want your child to eat well, then you need to help them to have fun.

Sure, you may have heard in the past that playing with food is bad but this isn’t necessarily true. In fact, if you can make them see the value in what they are eating or if you use the whole “airplane” trick when spoon-feeding a younger child then this can encourage them to eat more, without it being a chore.

Mixing things up is also very important. You may want to try and encourage them to eat mashed carrots, as well as boiled carrots, and even try them roasted. This gives you the chance to find out which textures your child is the most drawn to, so try and keep that in mind if you can.

Statement: Collaboration