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To help children eat healthier and nutritionally rich foods, it is important that strategies are adopted to help educate their taste buds, which can be done by offering foods with less intense flavors, such as fruits and vegetables, for example. .
In addition, during the process it is important to prevent the child from eating too many sweets during the day and that the feeding happens when one is really hungry and in a calm and pleasant environment for the child.
Some tips that can help your child to eat healthier and more varied are:
1. Decrease the amount of sweets in the week
It is good that the child is used to eating little sweets, because they are rich in calories and do not have nutrients that help the child to grow healthy, in addition to being able to harm the teeth, for example. Thus, lollipops and gum should be kept to a minimum and then it is good to brush your child's teeth to reduce the risk of cavities.
Thus, it is recommended that sweets be restricted to once a week and only after the child has eaten the entire meal. In addition, as it is common for children to copy the behavior of people they live with, it is also important that parents, siblings or relatives avoid eating sweets in front of the child, as this makes it easier for the child to get used to the smallest amount of sweets. .
2. Give the food more than once
Even if the child says he does not like a certain food, consumption should be insisted upon. That's because some research indicates that a person can taste a certain food up to 15 times before deciding whether he likes it or not.
So, if your child shows that he doesn't like something, insist at least 10 more times before giving up. Insist but do not force, if the child presents that he is going to vomit, it is better to take a break and wait a little more until he offers again.
3. Let eat alone
From 1 year of age children should eat alone, even if it initially makes a lot of mess and dirt. A very large bib and sheets of kitchen paper can help keep everything clean and tidy when the meal is over.
If the child does not put any spoonful of food in his mouth, avoid making threats but encourage his desire to eat by eating in front of him and praising the food.
4. Vary the presentation of the food
A good strategy for your child to learn to eat fruits and vegetables is to vary the way these foods are presented. The texture and color of foods also influence the taste. If your child doesn't like shaved carrots, try cooking carrot squares next to the rice to see if he eats better that way.
In addition, another way to make the child feel more attracted and willing to eat is the way the dish is being presented.That is, colorful dishes, with drawings or with food organized in a way that looks like a character, for example, can stimulate the child's appetite and desire to eat everything that is there.
5. Pay attention to the environment
If the environment is one of stress and irritation, the child is more likely to throw tantrums and reject food, so have a pleasant conversation at the table with the baby or child, showing interest in their reaction.
Don't let her interrupt your meal for more than 15 minutes, because if you don't feel like eating, it will really end.
6. Make sure the child is hungry
To ensure that the child eats the entire meal, it is important to ensure that the child is hungry. So, one option is to avoid giving food to the child about 2 hours before the meal, especially bread or sweets.
Check out more tips in the following video on what to do to help your child eat: