Coaxing a young picky eater to eat vegetables is always a struggle for most parents. You can try to entertain, bribe, or even beg the little one to consume the colorful pieces on their plate, but they’ll still stand their ground. Once you run out of tricks, though, that’s when you may lose your patience and silently hope that your anger will make them eat. (You know it won’t.)
There are a couple of problems apparent here. The first one is that the child only knew hotdogs, fries, and other fried foods since birth. Hence, asking them to let go of such delicious stuff and have broccoli or carrots instead won’t honestly go well.
The second issue is that vegetables are unfamiliar objects for the kids. They probably have no clue how to eat them; that’s why their mind tells them not to have any of it. Aside from that, you, as the parent, may need to explain more regarding the importance of a healthy diet in a way that children below ten years old can understand.
“Whether picky eaters or not, kids don’t always want what’s healthy for them—especially fruit and vegetables. But there are ways to make them more enticing,” said Jeanne Segal Ph.D. and Lawrence Robinson.
Keep on reading if you want to see other reasons why kids should learn about proper nutrition now.
Natural Products Seem Extra Palatable
A child tends to develop a liking towards new food choices the more they know about it. Dina Rose Ph.D. said, “Begin by setting aside the goal of getting kids to eat new foods. Instead, think of exploring new foods as a science experiment.” You can discuss why fruits and vegetables come in different colors or offer them a hands-on experience when preparing the goods. It will ideally squelch their anxiety and make them eat the natural products.
The Kids Know What To And Not To Eat
Children, even the ones who are still yet to learn how to use their words, can understand and remember everything you always tell or show them. By making it a habit to teach kids why or why not they shouldn’t consume various foods tooo often, they’ll more likely keep that in mind. “So modeling good eating behavior is important at home”, according to Vanessa LoBue Ph.D.
You’ll Take Fewer Trips To Fast-Food Chains
Giving the youngsters a few ideas about what junk food does to the body can also mean that you won’t have to stop at the drive-through multiple times a week. Not only does it let you save on gas and physical energy; you can share a home-cooked meal regularly too.
Health Problems Will Stay At Bay
The thing about diseases is that they quickly come when you always fill your body with unhealthy foods. It is particularly true with the kiddos since they still don’t have an established immune system. But if they welcome a balanced diet from a young age, you may never have to worry about obesity, heart-related illnesses, diabetes, etc.
Nothing Can Hinder Your Children’s Growth
Of course, all parents wish for their offspring to develop well emotionally, physically, and mentally. While a child who only eats and drinks sugary stuff may lack in one or two areas, someone who gets the essential nutrients from natural products can fare better regarding personal growth.
Teaching kids about proper nutrition should begin even before they can walk or speak. From the time the pediatrician says you can start introducing real food to a child at around six months, you may get their palates accustomed to the taste of veggies and fruits too. That will lessen your chances of raising a picky eater.
Cheers!