How to persuade your children to consume fruits and vegetables willingly? This is a concern for most of the parents these days. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends 2.5 cups of fruits and vegetables per child, which is not even close to the proportion of what children actually consume. Here are some suggestions to encourage them to consume more nutrients.
1. Avoid Bribery
Mom and daughter are enjoying shopping together
Parents must not bribe children to eat fruits and vegetables since it establishes the fact that it is something undesirable and must be had only to get something better later on. There is a difference between reinforcement and bribery. They will understand better if you simply integrate vegetables into the dish without making a fuss over it.
2. Shopping Partners
Make your kids your shopping partners. If they shop fruits and vegetables with you and then help you make salads and gravies out of them it will definitely make them more motivated towards having more salads and veggies.
Let them pick out their choice of items every time you visit the market and tell them what benefits do each of them hold.
3. Be A Good Example
different kinds of fruit
Observational learning is very common among children. If they see you eating healthy food, so will they. When they ask what are you having? Tell them nicely the nutritional value and more about the fruits or vegetables that you might be consuming. This method always works since the kids always see their parents as their role models.
4. Variety
Always keep a variety of options available for kids to eat. Keep fresh fruits cut into pieces or made into fruit baskets in the fridge at all times to encourage them to try various fruits and vegetables whenever they feel hungry. Forcing them might not be the best option.
Making them believe on their own that veggies can be tasty and healthy will prove beneficial in the long run.
5. Appreciation
If parents constantly keep telling their kids that since they have started consuming fruits and vegetables they look more fit, their skin is glowing, they are taller, they look healthier etc, kids will be more encouraged to eat nutritious food because appreciation is certainly motivating.