Bonitas Member Magazine Issue 1. 2020 | Page 16

I nvolve your child When you go shopping at the supermarket, let your child help you choose which fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods to buy. Don’t buy foods that you don’t want your child to eat. At home you can involve your child to help select recipes, help in the kitchen and set the table. L ittle chef You can also involve your child in preparing the meal. There are loads of duties that are perfect for your little chef like sifting, stirring, rinsing, counting ingredients or picking herbs from the garden. Not only will they feel a sense of achievement but they’ll understand and trust what is in the food. When they’re involved in the cooking process, they are much more likely to try new foods. B e creative If they like a certain kind of food, try adding the foods they don’t like to it e.g. add chopped broccoli to spaghetti sauce, top cereal with sliced fruit or mix grated carrots into soups. You can also try to mix unfamiliar foods with familiar foods e.g. add cheese to broccoli. N o bribing Don’t bribe your child, especially with dessert. The bribe may become even more exciting while eating the actual food an unpleasant chore. Also, if you withhold dessert, it sends a message that dessert is the best food and may only increase your child's desire for sweets. Creative ideas to make food fun Page 15