We offer you some practical tips that will help stimulate the appetite of children and make the meal pleasant and positive for everyone.
After weaning, the nutrition of babies changes significantly. Gradually, at the table, children begin to slowly behave «like adults»: baby food becomes a distant memory, the baby eats on his own and tries everything a little. During this period, it needs to be fed 5 times a day: breakfast, lunch, lunch, snack and dinner. But what if the child does not eat enough and without appetite?
1. If you offer a new meal and your child refuses it, do not insist. Just try again in a couple of days. As a rule, an average of 5 attempts are required before the child accepts a new food.
2. Give your child only small pieces that are not too difficult to chew, especially if your children are less than two years old.
3. Never force children to eat: food should be a calm process and in no case cause stress.
4. Do not force children to use cutlery at an early age. Explain to them how to use them, and that’s it. As each child grows up, he develops his motor skills and in the process spontaneously picks up everything, including cutlery.
5. Make dishes pleasing to the eye by decorating them with figures of animals, cars, etc. Make the serving beautiful! For example, you can make a sheep out of a plate with cottage cheese, a dachshund out of a banana, and an owl out of a sandwich. By the way, in the photo below — the creations of a Japanese mother who is ready for anything, if only her capricious daughters would eat normally.
6. If the child does not want to eat vegetables, disguise them as something attractive to the child. For example, if he likes mashed potatoes, but does not eat broccoli, mix mashed potatoes in half with vegetable.
7. Involve children in shopping. Explain what kind of products you are buying, what you are going to cook from them. At home, let the child sort out the purchases with you. let him touch and smell fruits and vegetables.
8. Involve your baby in cooking. Experiment, try new recipes together. Let the child knead the dough, break the eggs. He does simple things that will teach him how to interact with products, understand processes.
9. If, as it seems to you, your children eat too much or too little, but their growth is normal and there are no problems with weight, then you have no reason to worry. Physical activity during the day and metabolism affect the daily calorie requirement.
10. If your children claim that the food is tasteless, ask why. Ask your child to explain in more detail what is wrong, while asking as many questions as possible. Too sweet? Too bitter? Too round?…It doesn’t matter if the answer really makes sense, but it’s good that children learn to express their feelings. But even if during the conversation you do not understand what is wrong with the food in the opinion of the child, do not put pressure on him, perhaps advice No. 1 will work here.
11. Remember the rule: food should always be at the table, without a tablet and games in hand. Neither in front of the TV, nor on the couch, nor standing. It is important that children are focused on nutrition and not distracted by anything else.
12. It is good if it turns out to gather at the table with the whole family. After all, during meals we communicate and tell each other what happened during the day or what to do the next day. It is important for a child to learn cheerfulness and positive communication from an early age.
