How to Get Kids to Eat Fruits & Vegetables

Lunch and dinner can be stressful for parents, especially when your little one is not a big fan of vegetables. In this video, I will be sharing tips on how to help your child eat vegetables at home. These tips have been tried and tested by myself (with my own children) and countless people I know. It really helped them and I hope it will help you too!

Talking Points

If you've ever tried cooking for a picky eater before, you know just how hard it can be to get them to eat their veggies. 
1) Hide veggies - One of my favorite methods!
If your child refuses to eat veggies - hide them in smoothies - for veggies like broccoli, carrots, cauliflowers, I suggest you steam them first to get a smoother texture. If your kid is a bit weary of the color of the smoothie, get a cup so you can’t see through. A small amount of sweetener may help too! Don’t hesitate to add dates, maple syrup or honey. 
2) Incorporate veggies into your child’s favorite desserts! Black beans, avocado, sweet potatoes are great for this!
3) Talk about the benefits of eating veggies from your child’s perspective. Children see the world differently and have different values from adults. The reality is that arguments about how vegetables are healthy won't get far with little kids. Instead, try encouraging your kids with statements like "vegetables help you to grow strong muscles", “vegetables help you get as strong as superman” instead of "it's healthy." Knowing a certain food can help them grow might entice kids to try some new veggies.
4)  Enforce the “one bite rule”
Research consistently shows that children who have initially rejected a food must be exposed to it at least 8-10 times for the food to be accepted. Many parents have had success with the “one bite rule,” requiring the child to try at least one solid mouthful of a rejected food whenever it is served. After enough exposures, the food will be more familiar to the child and usually, they begin to rate it more favorably.
5) Last but not least, don’t force your child to eat veggies, they will eat veggies soon or later, promise -  fighting and punishments create a negative meal experience, and the child will learn to associate food with the bad feelings. Negative food experiences have the opposite of the desired effect and actually increase picky eating tendencies. Require one bite, but try not to start a fight.


About the Speaker 

Mrs. Aurore Robinot is the Nursery Manager at Child’s Play Nursery. Aurore has been in Dubai for 10 years and has been managing Nurseries for eight years. 
Aurore is passionate about helping and watching children grow, develop and achieve. She believes effective communication and daily verbal exchanges between staff members and parents are paramount and she believes in the power of people working together to achieve greatness.

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