Eating habits are often formed in childhood and affect the child`s health throughout their life. One of the big problems that we have with getting kids to make good FOOD choices is that we ourselves often eat unhealthy FOOD.
In my opinion, if a child sees you eating healthy items- vegetables, fruits, whole grains, the child will be more inclined to see those items as the normal foods that are consumed. These items should be staple items, not something to go along with an unhealthy diet.
Try to make the FOOD fun. Tell and show your child that some vegetables, which you are using for the meal is just for colouring and for making the FOOD more fun. Baking mixes can have wonderful results with FOOD colouring stirred gently into the mix. A few drops of different colours can make your FOOD colourful so that children love to eat it.
Even if your child doesn`t love to eat healthy FOOD, just keep trying. It may take more time, but eventually the FOOD will be familiar to the child and he will not be so afraid to try it.
Offer your child choices. Kids love the opportunity to make decisions for them selves. If you offer several different healthy foods, children will eat what they choose.
Have standard meal times. If the meal times are the same each day, the appetite will be ready for them. Do not give to many snacks between meals. They should be hungry and should wait for meal times and would eat what are you offering.
At the end I would like to say don`t forget to educate your child about which FOOD is good for them. That eating healthy FOOD is extremely important for growing.