pick, touch, and taste it. Exposure reduces fear and unpleasantness, and they may try it without prompting! You may provide them enough of a meal you know they’ll eat to fulfill their appetite and a tiny bit of a new food or one they’ve said they don’t like.
Let Children Pick Food At The Store
Ask them how they want to consume it and if they want to help cook. Youngsters who participate in food choices are more inclined to try it. They’re proud to provide their family with the food they picked and prepared.
Show Them How To Have Fun With Food
This may require parents to break their “don’t play with your food” rule. Allowing children to poke, stack, mix, and play with their food might help them try new foods. Cut dishes into shapes or use cutlery with favorite characters to make mealtime more exciting. Kids may explore new nutritious foods with dips. Nutrient-rich dips like ranch dressing for veggie sticks, peanut butter for fruit, guacamole for chips, and cheese sauce for broccoli promote healthy eating.
Regular Meal & Snack Times But No Pressuring To Eat
Most parents want to force young children to eat, even when hungry. Your youngster decides what to eat and how much. Pediatric dietitians and nutritionists recommend a consistent meal and snack plan when food is provided. Most meals and snacks should contain a fruit, vegetable, healthy fat, protein, and whole grain. According to research, forcing youngsters to eat when they’re not hungry may lead to overeating, stress, and strong emotions.
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Strategies For Encouraging Nutrient-Dense Foods – Teens
Teens may employ many toddler and childhood tactics. As your kid ages, continue exposing them to different foods, including them in meal selection and preparation, and not forcing them to eat. However, it is evident that your kid feels much more autonomy with food choices, and if they don’t like the meal, they may search the cupboard or stroll to the local sandwich shop. Teens are vulnerable to negative body image, social pressure, and diet culture, which may lead to eating disorders, making healthy eating promotion more difficult.
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Do Not Talk About Their Body Or Weight
Avoid discussing weight or physical shape with teens. Parents strongly affect their children’s self-esteem, and teenagers, who are already prone to negative body image during puberty, may link their body image to their self-worth.
Talk only about your teen’s body’s functions. Even a compliment (“Wow! Those new pants make your legs appear so tiny!) perpetuates the concept that body image determines attractiveness and value.
Parents typically misjudge their child’s weight. They may avoid healthy meals and even dread them since they associate food and diet with body weight and form.
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Be An Example
Teens are observing and learning from you. Try to optimize your body-food connection. Avoid criticizing your physique or weight.
- Avoid expressing remorse after consuming specific meals.
- Eat when you’re hungry
- Eat a variety of meals at each meal
- Be open to exploring new foods and encourage your kid to do the same
- Talk about food neutrally, emphasizing flavor and nutrition
- Enjoy cultural and family-bonding cuisines
Have A Variety Of Nutrient-Dense Snacks Readily Available
Many teenagers snack two to three times a day without skipping meals. Stock up on fruit, prepared veggies, nuts, and minimally processed, nutrient-dense snacks. Keep them on the counter, fridge, or pantry. Avoid fussing if your adolescent requests chips, sweets, and other nutrient-poor foods.
