How to make him adore home food?
“He never eats home food. He loves fast food and bakery items only” – mothers have nothing else to say about the food habits of her children. It’s more difficult to feed them than to prepare food items in kitchen. If she is a working lady it’s really a big head ache. His attraction towards fast food items can give him health related problems. Also he may not receive all the vital nutrients for the proper growth of his mind and body – every mother feels so. For such mothers notice – start good food habits at early ages itself. Then only he follows them strictly throughout his life.
Even if you try to impose such smart food habits in them modern teens are clever enough to find an alternate solution to every trick of their mothers. But just follow these tricks. Then it’s not a big task to make him love the homely food prepared by his own mother’s hands. I am providing 10 such simple tricks for mothers.
1. Healthy food at home itself
Always keep a stock of healthy food in your kitchen that suits your kids most. Kids never look for a fixed timetable to eat. Also if they play a little more they may feel hungry earlier. Stock your kitchen with healthy food. When he is hungry he will eat whatever he gets in hand. If you provide healthy food, such items will reach his hands easily. Also place those nutritious items at his finger tips. If you keep a few fruits on dining table instead of storing them in refrigerator kids will take them easily.
2. Good food to become Sachin Tendulkar
Good food, bad food, healthy food – those lessons won’t reach a small kid’s mind even if you try to teach them. Instead link food items with their favourite things. For example, tell him that if you drink milk you will become stronger as Chota Bheem. If you eat homely food you will grow high and become tall like cricketers. You can relate healthy food items with TV ads too. They will easily learn those things. If your child is a girl ask her to eat a lot of vegetables to get good colour and look fair. Fruits and vegetables are so lovely and colourful. Ask them to eat a lot to look like colourful fruits.
If you want to become a sportsman you need height and for that calcium rich milk is more vital. If you want a glowing skin and intelligent brain eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. Such simple tricks can make your kid love those homely food items.
3. Never forget to appreciate
When your kid selects nutritious food items to eat never forget to appreciate him. Also tell him that you will say about his healthy food habits to his class teacher and friends. When he chooses fruits instead of chocolates while you are shopping, encourage him with words like, “Smart boy. Good boy” etc.
4. Never scold him for chocolates
When your kid chooses junk food or chocolates never scold him. If you try to impose healthy habits in him he will never obey you. Instead he will hate it more. You can tell him that unhealthy food habits can lead to diseases and if so, he won’t be able to attend the school day dance competition next month. You can tell him that illness of last month was due to the use of excess chocolates. If you tell him that excess chocolates and sweets damage his teeth and he won’t be able to eat his favourite items and that he will look old if all teeth are lost, you can slowly put control over his ‘chocolate habits’. Try to teach him slowly instead of bursting it suddenly. Do it step by step still he leaves that bad habit for ever. Yet you should tell him that sweet in mild quantities is good for health. Otherwise he may hate chocolates forever.
5. Breakfast is most important
He should never quit his breakfast if he wants concentration to learn what his teachers teach in class rooms. Breakfast should be healthy and complete. Tell him that if he wants to study well to get appreciation and gifts from teachers he needs to eat food at right time to memorize everything. Teach him in an understanding language. Slowly he will learn the importance of breakfast and regular food.
6. Dry fruits and fruits instead of snacks
Kids love Chinese noodles most during their snack time. Buy such items once in a while only at your homes. You can make banana chips and potato chips at home itself with less salt content instead of opting for high salted packets. Dry fruit habits is best than bakery items. Raisins, cashews, almonds, groundnut – put these items in the snack box of your kid instead of fried items. Cut dry fruits and fruits into different shapes to make them attractive. Kids will very soon forget chocolates and Chinese noodles.
7. Variety in food items
Repetitive food as well as repetitive tasks are boring. Instead try experiments with everything you get. Fill kid’s tiffin boxes with colourful, variety of healthy items. Even providing two eyes and a mouth with tomato sauce on the top of bread makes it a variety item for kid. Use tomatoes, carrots and coriander leaves in an artistic way while decorating dishes. They are nutritious too.
While preparing omelet add carrot and coriander leaves in addition to onions once in a while. Use grated carrot and cabbage while preparing sandwiches. Thus make vegetables a part of his diet from early age itself. Even while preparing chicken or mutton sandwiches you can add grated vegetables or fresh tomatoes to make them more colourful and nutritious. You can add vegetables in gravy too and thus in trick, you can make them eat everything you want. While preparing dosa, steam cake and idli, you can make different varieties by adding such vegetables, nuts, cereals etc. Mixed vegetable curries and adding vegetables like green peas, cabbage, carrot, spring onions and egg while preparing noodles and pasta can make those dishes delicious as well as nutritious. Prepare salads for your kids with fruits and sprouted beans. They are healthy and kids will be attracted if you present them colourful and unique.
8. Never gift chocolates as gifts
It’s a common technique of every parent to promise him chocolate or fried rice from nearby restaurant if he does something nice or behave well. Kid will make it a habit. Instead gift him with books or colouring boxes.
9. Mother should serve kids
Never think that kid will serve his own food and eat. It’s sure he will avoid vegetable items. Instead mother should serve him and tell him the importance and taste of each item. Ask them to taste each and every side dish placed in his plate. She can even tell a lot of stories about the taste or preparation of those items and that she has made it special for him.
10. Supper together
It’s not possible to have breakfast or lunch together as a family. But it’s possible at night when all family members gather together to have supper at night. Ask your kids to taste every dish and give him grades according to food consumption. While eating healthy food appreciate him. Yet never give orders if he hesitates to eat a particular dish. You can make slight variations to that dish next time by adding something new. Adding non-vegetarian items or decorating the same dish with some fried vegetables can make him feel interest in that dish.
Never complain about the health or appearance of your child. He may be lean or fat according to his body characteristics. Most important is that if he takes regular food and if he is free of diseases. If so, no need to worry about his physical appearance. If you want to add extra nutrition medicines apart of his daily diet, do it under the instruction of a doctor only.
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