Babies, or children, learn by observing and imitating the closest people in their environment, and those are usually parents. They learn about the world and life from them, and by watching adults, they form their habits and opinions on various topics. If dad loves football – the child will too. If mom reads books – the child will too. If parents eat in a healthy way – the child will too.
Eat Together with Your Baby/Children
When it comes to teaching children to eat healthily, you must show them by your own example. Sit with your children at the table and show them what Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower are (if you haven’t already introduced them to the green and white florets). This way, your baby will observe your reaction to the food you are giving them. Of course, their food won’t be seasoned like yours, but they should taste real ingredients. When introducing solid foods to your baby, aged 4 – 6 months, first offer them potatoes, carrots, rice, spinach, pumpkin, banana, etc. These are all foods that the baby will easily accept.
To help yourself and save time on food preparation, feel free to buy ready-made purees made from 100% natural ingredients. Just pay attention to the labels, as you will find a detailed list of nutritional values, sugars, salts, fats, and other ingredients. Each jar clearly indicates the appropriate age for the baby or child: 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2 years, etc.
- Visual Effect – Help in Accepting New Foods
When the baby starts with purees, they can feel the taste and smell of the food they are eating but don’t know what it looks like. Give your baby a potato or carrot while they eat the puree made from that ingredient. Give the broccoli floret you are eating to your little one. They will find it interesting to play and examine “that green thing” in their hands, and in the puree, they will taste its flavor. When giving them purees from a jar, let them look at the picture of the ingredient. They will surely eat everything you prepare for them more easily.
- Positive Attitude Towards Healthy Food
Always have a positive attitude towards the food you eat and try not to use phrases like: “You won’t get ice cream if you don’t eat green beans.” This way, the child will perceive green beans as bad because they HAVE to eat them to get dessert, or a reward.
When introducing new foods, always say something positive about that vegetable, fruit, meat, or fish. Give your little one a chance to love everything you put on their plate, even what you yourself might not want to taste. Try not to influence your child’s taste with your own preferences. Pretend a little, say: “Mmmmm, this is delicious,” and take at least one bite with a smile on your face.
- Go Grocery Shopping with Your Child
When the child is a bit older, make a grocery list together for the supermarket, and in that way, set an example of what a meal should look like. For example, for breakfast, put whole grain bread, fresh cheese, fresh pepper (let the child choose the color of the pepper), yogurt, and milk on the list.
Let them choose which vegetable they want in the soup, which one to choose as part of the main meal with meat, and which one for salad, and fruit as dessert or a snack. Explain to them why each food is important. This way, they will learn to pay attention to what they eat.
Allow them to choose and put some sweets in the cart at the end, which they can eat after a meal. Do not forbid them from eating sweets, but certainly explain that they should be consumed in limited quantities.
- Play with Food
Turn it into a game – let each food have a superpower, and after eating it, the child gains that superpower. Connect some superheroes with a certain food, for example, Popeye ate spinach, and Bananaman – the name says it all. However, you need to be careful here as well. Ninja Turtles eat only pizza, so explain to your little one that such food cannot be eaten every day, as it is not healthy to eat only dry food. Together, invent a super character who eats all the food his mom prepares and is therefore smart, strong, and brave.
