Overcoming Picky Eating

For parents, dealing with fussy eaters can be challenging. Ensure your child gets the balanced diet they need for optimal health and growth with these tips and strategies

- Kayal Arivalan

It's important for children to have a well-balanced diet for their health and optimal growth, but getting them to try new foods can make every mealtime a battleground. The good news is that there are strategies you can use to encourage your child to expand their palate.

BRING OUT THE NEW

Children are more likely to try unusual foods when they are presented in a fun and exciting way. You can turn the introduction into a game by making it a challenge or a competition. For example, dare your child to try a new vegetable every week, and reward them for each successful attempt.

You could also involve your child by letting them help choose new recipes and ingredients to try. "Every time you introduce a new vegetable, encourage your children to touch, feel, and smell it while you explain why it is important to eat that specific vegetable during that season," suggests Mansi Zaveri, founder of Mumbai-based parenting and discovery website Kidsstoppress. com. "Include them in the preparation of your weekly meals and enlist their assistance in washing or peeling vegetables.

They must begin forming a positive relationship with food at a young age."

OFFER CHOICES, NOT BRIBES