A Child That Eats Their Veggies!!
Posted by: Hayden Sears-Livesay on June 10, 2010
I am often asked, “how do I get my child to eat things that are good for them like veggie or fish?” Well, there are certain things that kids learn are not optional- like brushing their teeth or wearing their seat belt. These are mandatory because if they were not then teeth would decay and children would get injured or even die in car accidents. However, children are negatively impacted from a lack of nutritious food in the same way. Think of nutritious foods like fruits, veggies, and fish as safety belts for their growing bodies and as brushes that keep their bodies cleaned out. Apply the same “this is just want we do” attitude towards eating these types of food as you do to insisting on looking both ways before crossing the street. If you start this when babies first start on solid foods it is certainly easier. And, if parents benevolently make these nutritious foods fun and served in a taste way it is often much appreciate. This is one of those things that your children will thank you for later in life.
2 comments for “A Child That Eats Their Veggies!!”
Dr. Sears LEAN TeamDepending on the age of the child, there are ways to approach introducing new foods. When a child is young Dr. Sears calls this "shaping young tastes;" the earlier children are introduced to healthy foods the more likely they are to acquire and maintain a taste for these foods. As a child gets older, Dr. Sears refers to it as "reshaping young tastes." The older the child, the less open they will be to new tastes and textures. That said, there are ways to help children learn to like their vegetables. For young children gradually introducing new foods a little at a time is a good approach. It may be just a tablespoon or less, but they are likely to begin to try more over time. With older children, you may have to be more creative. For example, with most children it takes trying something at least 10 times before they acquire a taste for it. So, when they do not like something, just ask them to take a small bite of the veggie or other food and just try it. When you get a "yuck" just thank them for just trying it. Repeat each time you serve them and you'll be surprised that after a while it does not seem so bad to them and eventually your child may even begin to really like their veggies. For picky eaters, there is another time-proven Sears family technique, which includes 20 different ways to help children accept new foods including; nibble it, dip it, spread it, and so on. It is something that is on the first section of the LEAN Start DVD played during LEAN Start workshops. We'll try and get these posted for you in the near future. Megan
I think this is a good philosophy, but with wearing a seat belt for example, if your child objects, you can still go ahead with the belt and then have to deal with the crying, or you can suggest that if they won't wear the belt then they don't get to go for a car ride. However, with vegetables, you can't force your child to eat them. If they refuse do you withhold the rest of the meal?? I think serving them in a fun way is probably the first step but I'm at a loss for what to do when my daughter just outright refuses.
