Children of various ages go through stages where they become more selective in what they will eat which can become very frustrating to their caregivers.
Offer Alternatives
A child can like a food one morning and not like it by evening. One way to continue healthy balances is to research what nutritional substances are in the food and offer alternatives to them. Carrots can be replaced with other vegetables such as sweet potatoes. If basic cooking of either is refused they are both easy to integrate into something like muffins. Carrots and other vegetables can be added to meatloaf, salads, or baked goods. Sweet potatoes can be made into sticks like french fries and oven baked after being tossed with a little olive oil.
Grow Food
Children generally like to dig in dirt so why not have a small pot of lettuce in a sunny window where the child can watch it grow? If one is lucky to have a garden, an area just for them to dig in near the main garden area can allow for sharing the news of new crops that are popping up. A freshly picked baby green bean from the vine can be a tickling implement gobbled up with a crunch. Making food fun can help with picky eating. The child will be proud of the accomplishment and enjoy the natural food more.
Start Young
There are so many additives to foods that if one can start their child as a baby with less salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats they may go through a phase for a shorter period of time and revert back to the healthier foods. Teaching children from early ages that food isn’t just a pleasurable thing, but something to help them play and stay healthy is very critical. One can show them several foods and let them pick which they think is tastiest. Even in adults tastes change so as long as there are sufficient values to foods and supplements worrying by the caregiver is minimized. Try reintroducing a food at a later time and the child just may relish it this time.
Use Vitamins
There are several ways to get a child to get the nutrition he or she needs, but sometimes a dietary supplement is required to keep a good balance. Certain things like sunshine and milk provide amounts of vitamin D, but where the days are short and cold during winter, or there is lactose intolerance other methods to obtain this necessary vitamin should be used.
