If you're currently battling vegetable refusal at mealtimes, we know firsthand just how worrying (and frustrating!) it can be.
We're here to help, one veg at a time! Read on as Lucy Upton, our resident Children's Dietitian, shares six tips on how to increase your child's interest and ultimately their consumption in vegetables...
Six Tips to Help Encourage Your Toddler to Eat More Vegetables
1️⃣ Let children serve themselves veg at mealtimes - being in control of what and how much comes to their plate can support any further interactions with this food group.
2️⃣ Offer them in different ways - for example, try carrots as coins, batons, mashed or grated!
3️⃣ Model eating them yourself - it's age-old advice, but it's important. Children need to see adults and other children eating vegetables to support their intake.
4️⃣ Engage younger children's curiosity by giving vegetables different and fun names - e.g carrot sticks = magic wands, peas = mini footballs, pepper sticks = a paintbrush to spread dip!
5️⃣ Get your little ones to interact with vegetables outside of mealtimes - ask them to wash and chop them, or put them in the trolley during your food shop.
6️⃣ Take the pressure off vegetables. Pressure actually decreases the likelihood of a child accepting a food - so dial back any pressure and instead use repeated exposure and the other tips above!
Still not having much luck? One thing that's important to remember, is that fussy eating is so common, it's been reported to occur in as many as 60% of children. So, it's almost inevitable that there will be a time when your little one will go through a phase of fussiness!
Order a one-off
Simple meals bundle and receive a free digital Fussy Eating Guide written in partnership with Lucy, or simply add the meals to your next subscription box.
Love, Team Pots for Tots x
