{"id":2279,"date":"2014-06-09T01:17:00","date_gmt":"2014-06-09T01:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veganlovlie.com\/2014\/06\/effective-ways-on-how-you-can-encourage-your-child-to-eat-vegetables\/"},"modified":"2015-11-30T06:09:41","modified_gmt":"2015-11-30T06:09:41","slug":"effective-ways-on-how-you-can-encourage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veganlovlie.com\/effective-ways-on-how-you-can-encourage\/","title":{"rendered":"Effective Ways On How You Can Encourage Your Child To Eat Vegetables"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guest posts presented here have so far been deliberately limited, but when Lily Sommers proposed such an interesting topic, I could not turn this one down. Although I don’t have children of my own, I do remember the creative ways my mum would devise to make dinner more appetizing. Neither my sister nor I were picky eaters; Mum did it just for the love, captivating and inspiring me, in the process, into culinary adventures of my own. If you are a parent with persnickety kids when it comes to eating vegetables, then read on; Lily has some helpful tips.<\/p>\n

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Eating vegetables benefit children in multiple ways — decreased obesity risk, improved nutrition, and better school performance. The green leafy\u00a0vegetables are rich in vitamin B, beta-carotene, and vitamin A that can strengthen their immune system to combat diseases and bacterial infections. Serving\u00a0them with carrots can also improve their vision and give them healthy-growing teeth and strong gums. Vincent Iannelli M.D<\/a>., resident nutritionist for About.com Pediatrics,\u00a0recommends at least two servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables every day, for children ages 2 to 6, as they require higher nutrient to\u00a0support their body\u2019s quick development and growth.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, most children don\u2019t meet this requirement at all. The Ohio State research published by the San Francisco Gate in 2011 said that only 22% of\u00a0toddlers and preschoolers and 16% of children ages 6 to 11 meet their required nutrition. Apart from lack of availability in local grocery stores, the\u00a0study shows that children in nature hate the bitter taste derived from most vegetables. Today, we will give you an idea on how you can\u00a0encourage your child to eat vegetables without the need to force them.<\/p>\n

Start Early<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whole9life.com<\/a>\u00a0suggested that the first on the list is for you to start early. If you are still carrying your child, you can eat plenty of vegetables for your baby to\u00a0build up a taste for these healthy foods while inside your womb, said the researchers from Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. \u201cFlavors from the\u00a0mother’s diet during pregnancy are transmitted to amniotic fluid and swallowed by the fetus,\u201d the study concludes. In the event that they start eating\u00a0solid food as a toddler, practice feeding them with softly boiled potatoes and carrots.<\/p>\n

Perseverance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your child may hate a particular food you serve today and love it on the following day. In line with this, David Egan<\/a> of Parents For Health discussed the importance of parent\u2019s\u00a0perseverance on a similar blog. He believes that sometimes, your child needs to be presented with a new food multiple times before they will start eating\u00a0it. There is no harm in trying to prepare three servings on a daily basis. If your child hates carrots, just keep serving them (in different recipes). They\u00a0may eventually try them if they see that you exert a great deal of effort in trying to convince them.<\/p>\n

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Small Portions<\/strong><\/p>\n

In your initial weeks of introducing a vegetarian diet for your child, you should only keep their portions small. Dr. John Lee<\/a> of Virginia Hopkins Test Kits said, \u201cif your child will\u00a0only eat three mouthfuls of peas and one carrot stick, that\u2019s just fine.\u201d They don\u2019t need large portions of vegetables as it will just give them more pressure to conform. As suggested by M&S Health and Nutrition resource, children over the age of 5 \u201ccan eat the same meals as the rest of the family,\u00a0including more starchy foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables<\/a>– but\u00a0watch their portion sizes and the amount of saturated fat they are eating.\u201d If you serve them cooked beans, always research about its nutritional content.\u00a0It might be high in vitamin B and organic protein, but it can also be high in uric acid.<\/p>\n

Serve Them While They Are Hungry<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u2019re hungry, they\u2019ll eat,\u201d said Dr. Ann Kulze<\/a>, family\u00a0physician and author of “Eat Right for Life” on CNN health. Before serving the proper meals you\u2019ve prepared on the dining table, serve an appetizer of
\nvegetables like cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, steamed broccoli, beans, sugar snap peas, and colorful vegetables for your children to munch on.<\/p>\n

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Appetizing Fruit And Vegetables<\/strong><\/p>\n

Children will likely to eat fruits and vegetables if they see it as presentable and appetizing. Be creative when making your preparations. Try the\u00a0following ideas:<\/p>\n