Getting to know your child to eat fruit and vegetables

One of the most difficult eating habits for a child is to learn how to eat fruits and vegetables. The love for the sweet taste is a sense that all people have highly developed during childhood. The majority of fruits and vegetables, however, is anything but sweet, making children avoid their consumption. A balanced diet daily requires at least 2-3 servings of fruit and 4-5 servings of vegetables. But how can we teach the children to love fruits and vegetables?

   The popular saying, that “what someone sees, is what eventually does”, is something that fits in this case. Children tend to strongly mimic the habits of their environment, especially those that avail them. For this reason, a good place to start is eating regularly fruits and vegetables, in the presence of your child. By this, the child will become familiar with their consumption. You should, however, be willing to be patient, as children have to be reminded many times something until they adopt it.

   Another point is to take your child with you when you buy fruits and vegetables. The groceries have all kind of vegetables which are full of color and shapes that stir the imagination of a young child. Get creative and get introduce them the fruits and vegetables gradually, through an eventful fairy tale.

   If your children are willing to try some food with vegetables or some fruit, do not choose to give them more than one at a time. Let them taste a single taste, so in case of rejecting it, not to link it with other foods. Give your child the choice of telling what they want to eat, and do not underestimate their view!

  If the child refuses to consume cooked foods with veggies (peas, beans), you can draw in the dish a nice theme with vegetables and a little imagination, in order to lure them. A tree from peas with seeds made from carrots is a nice sight for a child, which may make them consume it much more easily. A tip of advice is not to use complicated recipes in your cooking. Another idea is to try to serve vegetables as a snack in the afternoon. If your child prefers juices, make them fresh fruit juices with various seasonal fruits in a juicer. By this you will ensure that they get all the essential vitamins and minerals!

   If you are among the lucky ones who can have their own garden, a nice tip is to cultivate the veggies with the help of your child, like to irrigate tomatoes or gather apples from the tree. By this, fruits and vegetables will sound like fun and no like an enemy.

   You also have to bear in mind that a balanced diet is built gradually form an early age. So, let free your imagination, be patient and give first the good example!

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