Fussy eaters can make mealtimes stressful for all the family, but getting kids involved in the preparation of food can really help to motivate them to try new things.
Even the most pernickety eater will enjoy tucking into something that they have prepared and helping out with simple kitchen skills can really help to stimulate a child’s appetite.
Why not try your hand at the straightforward solutions below, to help encourage your kids to try something new and make mealtimes more fun:
• Think up some creative names to help make everyday food items more exciting, for example, why not try calling broccoli trees, peas footballs or spaghetti string
• If your kids won’t touch fresh vegetables then try blending them up and adding them to sauces or soups
• Make mealtimes more fun by giving them a theme; alternatively, invite toys or teddies to sit at the table and enjoy the meal with you
• Explain the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables to your kids, for example, carrots will help them see in the dark and green beans will help them grow big and strong
• Try serving up lots of little bits of different foods e.g. carrot sticks, celery stalks, sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes, accompanied by toasted pitta bread and dips
Finally, try not to worry too much. Almost 90 per cent of children go through a least one lengthy stage of being fussy - so you’re not alone.
Eating a balanced diet is an important part of ensuring that your children grow up happy and healthy.
A well-balanced diet is important for energy, concentration and growth and it should include something from each of the five main food groups:
The foods in this group provide your body with its main source of energy and should be a part of all the meals you eat, filling up about a third of your plate.
The perfect snack, fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that help boost your immune system and keep the body healthy.
Meat and fish contain lots of important vitamins along with iron, zinc and selenium, which are needed by our bodies for growth and repair.
Milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais all contain high levels of calcium that help keep teeth and bones strong and healthy.
Although these foods provide a vital energy source, their consumption should be limited as too much fat can be bad for our bodies.
The most important thing to remember is to incorporate a variety of different foods into the meals that you cook for your family