Our Meal Planner has a section for your weekly shopping list. So, why not create it together? If your little clever clogs can write, even better! Make it their job. Talk about the foods you like and let them talk about their choices. Perhaps you could decide on a new food you both want to try.
Turn a chore into an activity! Encourage your child to handle fresh items such as herbs, fruit and veg. What do they smell like? What could you make with them? Refer back to the shopping list you made together. Put your little helper in charge of ticking off the items as they come out of the bag.
It’s fun, it’s messy and the results taste delicious. What’s not to love? Cooking or baking with your child is a really positive way to spend time together. There are lots of recipe suggestions on the Meal Planner. For little chefs, how about starting off with a simple healthy snack such as our No-Bake Energy Bites enriched with PaediaSure Shake? They’ll love rolling up the balls!
Kids love responsibility. Ask them to be in charge of laying the table or fetching the tablecloth. You could even make a badge so they feel that they are an important part of the mealtime process. Your little helper could clear the table afterwards, too!
The important thing is to make mealtimes enjoyable. If your child doesn’t eat very much, try not to make a big deal about it. Chatting about everyday things will help to distract you both from any potential stress that mealtimes can cause.1
Pull the strands of spaghetti out of your hair and try to approach the next meal positively. It’s a good idea to make a list of all the food your child does eat over a week and then review it. Make notes on your Meal Planner to remind you of the successes. If your child has eaten foods from each of the food groups then you don’t need to worry1.
Check out more top tips for your fussy eater, here
1NHS. Jan 2018 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/fussy-eaters/ Accessed 4th December 2020