Eat, Baby, Eat!

Kids, especially picky eaters, seem to eat better when they enjoy their mealtime. But with our busy schedules these days, it seems like it’s hard enough to get dinner on the table, let alone make it fun.  Here are some easy ideas I’ve tried that have worked on my 3-year-old daughter:

1. Take the kids shopping. I let my daughter help decide what we are going to eat. Kids love having choices and letting them make decisions makes them feel important. It works best if you offer only two options. For example, “Should we cook broccoli or carrots tonight?” In addition, I will point out all of the different types of fruits and vegetables, so that it also becomes a learning experience. One tip – stay away from the cookie and junk food aisles.
2. Introducing Chef (fill in your childs name). I let my daughter help me “cook.” She doesn’t do any of the actual cooking since I keep her away from the hot stuff, but she does help with the preparation. It’s amazing what a child can cut with a blunt butter knife. She also helps me tear vegetables and she’s a wonderful stirrer. When my daughter is involved in the cooking process, she’s much more likely to eat the finished product.  
3. Name Your Nuggets. At mealtime, I give cute names to the foods. For example, broccoli becomes “dinosaur trees” and corn kernels become “magic gold nuggets.” Around Halloween I named a lot of items “spooky” or pumpkin related. My daughter also loves baby-themed food, so I will make miniature-sized foods for her like “baby pancakes” or “baby waffles.” 
4. Follow the leader. I try to schedule playdates around lunchtime. Kids love to eat together! This also works great for picky eaters because kids like to copy other kids, so even picky eaters are more willing to try different foods if they see other kids eating them. One tip – make sure the kids are eating the same foods and that there is enough food for everyone to try. The last thing you want is for one kid to be eating something that everyone else wants to try but can’t. These lunch playdates are a great way to introduce certain foods to your child that you know she wouldn’t try on her own.

If you would like to share your ideas on how to make mealtime fun, you can email me at contact@EatBabyEatDVD.com.

MACARONI KID PASADENA GIVEAWAY