Tried and tested, these are six tips that work when Georgie refuses food or insists on eating a mango for dinner.
1. Lie! Because most times, it works. One day Georgie asked me what was for lunch. I told him tuna and mayonnaise in a pitta pocket. For some reason, even though he likes tuna and mayonnaise, that day he kicked up a fuss. Up until the moment I placed the pita pocket in front of him he was sulking …so I lied. I told him I confused tuna with tofu and that what he was about to eat was in fact tofu. Let me just mention that Georgie has absolutely no clue what tofu is (even though he’s been eating tofu hot dogs for a couple of years now) and I had absolutely no idea if what I was saying would even register! But the mere mention of something different with a weird name and I had his attention and he finished that pita pocket.
2. Include them in food shopping. I think this is such an important step in teaching our kids how to eat. They see where food comes from-in a way-, they touch and feel the fruits and vegetables and even practice counting as they toss each piece in the little bags, ready to be weighed. Once a week Georgie and I go to the supermarket together. Once there, he grabs one of those mini shopping carts and fills it with healthy snacks and food just for him. Allowing him to do so makes him feel he has a say in what he eats and there are rarely any surprises. Tip: Reward good behaviour. If Georgie’s been good, i.e no kicking and screaming in the sweets aisle, he’s allowed to choose an item he wants.
3. Always put a familiar food on their plates. If you’re planning on introducing something new, just make sure its accompanied by something they are familiar with. Rarely do kids like surprises and especially green and healthy ones so if you are planning on an attempt to get your kids to eat broccoli serve it with their favourite food and perhaps top it off with some cheese.
4. Summon the help of their favourite cartoon character. When I finally decided to stop disguising kale (in smoothies and juices) Georgie wasn’t too keen on the idea. When I mentioned that Superman eats kale, it was gone within minutes. Make your story convincing. Explain to them the reason why that princess is so clever and beautiful and why Superman can save all those people. Sometimes even mentioning a real life character they look up to will do the trick.
5. Do not bribe with dessert. By doing so you are essentially teaching your kids that dessert is the best food. Bribing them with dessert will make them think about it more increasing their desire for sweets and causing them to miss out on the pleasure of healthy eating.
6. Set a good example. How can you possibly convince your child to eat properly when you do not?
Feel free to add more tips!
