creatively encouraging your kids to eat

Ever used distraction, coercion or tricks to get your toddler to eat a few mouthfuls of nutritious food?

​When it comes to successfully spooning these precious morsels into my kids - especially my determined toddler - I often use whatever method it takes to accomplish this mission! Why? Because I worry that a poor appetite might cause a nutritional deficiency or not enough energy for their normal growth.

Despite knowing that these concerns are normal parenting concerns and that it is also normal for toddlers to have small servings at mealtimes, I still worry. On days when the kids haven't eaten much at all, I admit to:

• Distracting them by reading engaging books or turning on their favourite TV show so they sit still and eat.
• Tricking them by sneaking in spoons of food into their mouths while they have been absorbed in play.
• Coercing them to take another bite by saying phrases like, 'I'm sure you can finish your broccoli!'

The problem with all of the above methods is that they are punitive ways of eating and in the long term, studies have shown that this can result in kids having negative associations and unhealthy relationships with food. It is important to remember that experts advise that so long as healthy meals and snacks are served, our kids' brains will make sure that they eat enough calories for normal energy and growth.

WHAT WE USE:
Nevertheless, a mama still worries! Thankfully, experience with my first two kids means that I have had ample opportunities to experiment and get creative at mealtimes. I am delighted to report that my toddler has responded effectively to the following creative methods:

• Selecting her favourite tunes to listen to while sitting and eating her meal (singing along between mouthfuls) and
• Sitting her cuddlies beside her, with their toy tea-party utensils, to join in the 'meal-party'.
• ​Read the Peanut Butter Picnic blog post for another way you can get creative with food and have fun at mealtime.
• Snack-time play with diggers and trucks to shovel down some nuts.

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LET'S CREATE!
Sometimes when my two older kids have difficulty eating their meals (because this never really stops till they are no longer kids but it does get less frequent and easier), I engage them in creative word games such as:

• One person adds a word to the previous word someone said to make a crazy and funny sentence, or
• Whenever someone asks a question, you have to answer with a funny phrase like 'smelly socks' or 'mouldy cheese'. For example, 'What is your favourite thing to wear when you go swimming?' could have the response 'Smelly socks'. So where's the catch? The trick is not to laugh when you respond. You do and it's the next person's turn.

CONNECT & INSPIRE...
Creatively encouraging your kids to eat requires more involvement from you - plus things could get messy - but the pain is worth the gain; a belly full of nourishing food (and sometimes laughter) that is eaten by kids that are present and participatory at mealtime. 

Do you have any tried, tested and tasted ways to encourage your kids to eat? I would love to hear from you in the comments section.