Kids, Play With Your Food.

I used to get in trouble at the dinner table… A LOT. For giggling. My brothers are very funny.

I didn’t always enjoy it, but I am so grateful that she fed us vegetables all the time because now I love em. She’s so wise.

So, let’s get psychological. Growing up, our surroundings have a profound impact on what we eat and what we like to eat as adults. Children are very receptive to their environment and those around them. Familiarity impacts food acceptability.

Now, full disclosure: I am not a mother, but here are some handy tips from the experts:

1. Take your kids grocery shopping (when you have the energy) and let them pick out some fruits and vegetables. If they pick it out, they will want to eat it.
2. Let them help. Let your child wash and tear lettuce and watch you prepare the meal. Even young babies benefit from being a part of meal prep.
3. Present vegetables in a different shape or dish to make it more fun and appealing.
4. Use non-food related ‘rewards’. Studies show that people are less likely to like a food if it’s followed by a tastier ‘reward’ food. So less, “finish your veggies and you can have ice cream.”
5. YOU eat it, and often. Your child is more likely to eat something if they see you eating it; children, you may have noticed, have a tendency to imitate your behavior.
6. Lastly, let them play with their food (within reason). Studies have found that kids who played with their food were faster to learn words associated with food textures, and were more likely to try new things.

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References:
1. Jane Wardle and Lucy Cooke. Genetic and environmental determinants of children’s food preferences. Br J Nutr. 2008.
2. Alexandra W. Logue. The Psychology of Eating and Drinking. 4th ed. New York, NY: Routledge, 2015.

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