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{{label}}Staff writer - 1 min read
20 October 2017
You asked, we answered.
It’s great to offer kids different fruit and veg, but what if their attitude is that they don’t eat fruit or veg, period? I’ve offered my 6-year-old a variety of foods since he was a baby, and still do, but he refuses to try fruit and will only eat peas, potatoes and sweet potato. Any suggestions?
Helen, Australia.
Getting kids to eat healthy food is no mean feat. And you’re right – tackling their attitude is probably the best way to start. We’ve actually written a whole article about it, but the general gist is kids can be notoriously fussy (don’t worry, you’re not doing anything wrong here), so you need to deploy tactics.
That doesn’t mean forcing foods on them – it could mean pairing ‘liked’ foods with ‘disliked’ foods, and letting them approach that how they will over a period of time (more on that in the article). It could also mean watching the language you use when talking about food – instead of saying ‘you have to eat this [food they don’t like] before you can eat this [dessert]’, try educating your child on the health benefits of said ‘disliked’ foods.
If your kid likes running, inform them of the power of leafy greens. Education is key here and it may be a long game, but don’t give up. You’re leading by example, and if that example is to eat healthily then your child is bound to learn from this.
Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.
Disclaimer:
The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.
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