Tips to help your child eat better

Tips to help your child eat better

Children and food, not always a happy combination. You want your toddler to eat (healthy), your child doesn't care. And so you get the whole bag of tricks out of the closet: often in vain. Child psychologist Tischa Neve gives tips that help you make your child eat better.

Help, my child doesn't like anything!

If your child doesn't like anything, it doesn't mean that it will stay that way. Only after an average of nine tests, do children recognize and appreciate a new taste. A matter of continuing to offer and be patient. And some handy tricks.

Let your child eat (more) vegetables, how do you do that?

It is okay if your child does not eat either vegetables or fruit, one catches the other. If your child does not eat both, you can possibly provide a nutritional supplement for your own reassurance. Provide a varied offer. Also, look beyond the traditional. There are at least fifty different types of fruit. Take your child to the exotic supermarket, the market or the farm and see what else there is. Let your child get acquainted with fruit or vegetables in a casual way.
You can also try it by offering it in a different form, as a juice or as a sandwich. In the ecological store, you will find fruit and vegetable spreads for bread.

Tips for eating education

And with a bit of luck, even that vegetable will go in!

1. Don't punish your child if he doesn't eat his plate empty

"Then you will not get dessert". You may know it too, but sometimes you call it when your toddler doesn't want to eat his food. Try to hold back. Punishment can cause aversion: your child combines a negative feeling with healthy eating. Something that is not the intention. Also, don't make it a circus by applauding when your toddler takes a bite of his food or eats his plate. Teach your child that eating his dinner is quite normal.

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2. This is how you give your child a positive outlook on food

Let your child determine how much he eats Worried he won't eat enough? Do not worry. It's okay if your child eats worse for a while. It is even almost to be expected as soon as the word "no" appears in the toddler phase. By forcing your child to eat, he will not learn to listen to his feeling of being full. Something that is important and will prevent obesity. As long as your child grows well and is lively, he will really get enough.

3. Small portions on a shelf

The "eat your plate empty principle" is therefore not very sensible. Then,? Put small amounts in front. A board with boxes can also help. And one by one to empty a box or to eat something from each box, how nice is that! Let your child also brag. And does your child still feel hungry afterward? Then he can get some more.

small portion

4. Eat and drink at set times

Breakfast, lunch and a hot meal. It is these three fixed eating moments that ensure that your child does not want to eat and drink throughout the day. Of course, an occasional snack is not bad at all. But keep it up to four times and just before eating preferably not. Drinking a lot before eating can also fill the stomach and make you feel full.

5. Forbidding is counterproductive,

limits are not If you want to do something and it is absolutely not allowed, you do it anyway. At least that applies to quite a few children. Banning sweets and cakes often has the opposite effect. Set limits. Releasing your child completely and having food packed from the cupboard is not the intention. Exercising a certain degree of control is important and give your child something tasty at set times. But not too much.


6. At the table ...

with all of them! Various studies show it: eating together at the table has many advantages. Eating is healthier, it is good for the language development of small children, it creates a sense of togetherness ... In short, it is good for the general development and health of your child. Yet it appears to be quite a challenge for busy families to eat together. One is late from work, the other has left early in the morning. Whenever possible, try to do it. And different: plan ahead, cook in large quantities and freeze portions for later. This way you create time to eat together.

7. No TV, cell phone or iPad

For adults, it is already difficult to focus when the television is on or when a tablet is on the table, let alone for sensitive children. Eat yourself with attention (put your cell phone away) and give your child attention while eating. The focus should be on eating and not studying a book, reading the newspaper, playing a game ... All very nice and cozy, but it literally distracts.

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8. The good example makes good follow

If you eat a cookie, chances are that your toddler will want it too. Your child wants to imitate, especially at this age. So take fruit and vegetables a little more often as a snack, then your child wants that too. If you tell yourself that you think something is dirty, your child will take it over. Your child looks at your behavior; what and when you eat. If you eat all day long, chances are that your child will find it normal and will do it later. Also read: set a good example to your child.

9. Help, watch and learn

Peel an egg, wash fruit and vegetables or spread bread. It is a breeze, also for the little ones and very educational. As a parent, you can estimate yourself what your child can help within the kitchen. Take it with you when you go shopping. All ways to get your child busy with food in a good way. And if he has made a meal with you, will he probably want to taste and eat it himself? Maybe he already stole some vegetables during cooking. He already has that nicely in! Here are tips to help your child eat more vegetables.


10. Do not use food as a comfort or reward

If you learn that, your child may later also comfort or reward themselves with food. And that can lead to being overweight again. Prefer to play or dance with your child, read a book, sing a song. And hugging together always works. Also, don't reward your child with other food, such as a dessert, if he eats his vegetables. Your child may then think that vegetables are actually not tasty. And even if he doesn't eat all his vegetables, just give it a dessert as part of the meal. You can, of course, give your child a compliment if he has eaten his fruit or vegetables.