Turn your Picky Eaters into Holiday Helpers |
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[Guest Editorial published 10/15/09]
 The busy holiday season is just around the corner and you probably have enough stressful things to do this winter, without worrying about your child’s picky eating habits.
Do you wish your child would try a wider variety of foods? If so, consider enlisting him as your official “holiday helper”. Kids who are more involved in the preparation and cooking of meals are more open to tasting and enjoying those foods. As we all know, kids love to have control and independence in their lives, so let’s give them power in the kitchen!
1. Let your children choose a creative nickname, only to be used when they are playing the role of mom’s cooking assistant. (Just like a superhero, they can only use that name when they are in the kitchen, using those secret powers to help you!). A few examples might include Matthew Masher, Thomas Tomato, Cooking Caroline, etc.
2. Give your holiday helper a child-size apron. If you don’t already have one, check out www.growingcooks.com for inexpensive aprons and chef hats (these could make fun holiday gifts!). You may want to start by ordering a free catalog through the website and allowing your children to pick their own apron and hat.
3. Provide kid-friendly utensils. These can be cooking tools specifically designed for young ones or just choose tools that would be safe for them (rubber spatulas, plastic measuring cups, wooden spoons, salt & pepper shakers).
4. Find space in the kitchen for your children to prepare foods. It might just be one stool or a separate workspace on the counter, but just make sure to designate this area. They will be proud to have an area of the house which is usually controlled by mom and other adults. If they are just too young to participate but like to observe, be sure to find a good spot for them to watch you cook. If possible, use glass bowls and clear dishes for their visual enjoyment.
5. Ask for your kids’ advice throughout the entire cooking process. If your recipe calls for carrots, ask your daughter if you should cut them into long or short slices in the recipe. By making a decision about the meal, she will be more excited about that chosen vegetable at mealtime.
6. Work on basic math skills in the kitchen. Count out the number of eggs or cups of flour for the recipe. If you are kids are older, you can also practice math with measuring cups and kitchen timers.
7. Take your children with you to pick out the ingredients at the grocery store or farmers’ market. If you have young children, aim for word pronunciation or spelling of fruits and vegetables. Let them unload groceries at home and get them excited about the cooking process!
For younger children, consider checking out the book, Food Play by Joost Elffers and Saxton Freymann. It is full of wonderful, vibrant and silly photographs of fruits and vegetables (no words). My daughter just discovered this book at home, and she loves to match the real vegetables in the kitchen to the playful photographs in the book!
So if you want to worry less and enjoy mealtime more this winter, try some of these tips for healthy and happy eating all year long!
Annie Sasseville RD, CNSD
GreatIdeasForKids.com Featured Expert on Pediatric Nutrition
Annie Sasseville now owns a pediatric wellness practice, Mile High Climbers (www.MileHighClimbers.com 303-872-9033
). Mile High Climbers "supports each child’s unique developmental climb". They specialize in speech therapy, physical therapy, and nutrition services for children.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 October 2009 )
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