Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Importance of Adding Variety when Making Food

By KC Kudra

If you have small children, you probably already know that it can be a real chore to feed them. This is especially true if they are picky about what food they will and will not eat. It is important to ensure your children get enough nutrition from their food and luckily, there are ways of convincing them to eat even if they don't want to. It is a good idea to have a few favorite dishes on standby, such as crockpot chicken noodle soup, hotdogs, pizza, homemade chicken noodle soup, and chicken nuggets with cheesy mashed potatoes.

Even though it may be a chore, when you are preparing dinner, prepare several different dishes so your child has choice of what he or she wants. You could try asking them what they are in the mood for on occasion to get a guaranteed winner night with no fitting over them eating anything let alone enough.

Your child should be encouraged to take a bite of everything you make, regardless of whether he likes the look of it or not. A lot of children will state, "I don't like that," when looking at a dish they have never even tried. If you get your child to sample everything, they will usually like the dish in question and ask for second helpings.

Another way to encourage small children to try different foods is to name the food with the name of their favorite fictional or cartoon character. Harry Potter Pancakes or Garfield Lasagna will get a smile from your child and they will probably tuck in, just because of the name. Children identify with shows they enjoy and if they think they are eating their favorite cartoon foods, they will probably eat all their meal.

It is a good idea to make colorful dishes. You could use red, green, and yellow peppers and call the dish Christmas casserole for example. Corn, broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes all add color.

Children know when they like and if you present something, which looks boring, they won't be keen to try it. They don't understand or care about nutrition either so it is up to you to make sure your child gets enough.

If you enjoy cooking, you can let your child help you with meal preparation. If they feel like part of the cooking process, they will be happier to eat the results. Children would prefer homemade chicken noodle soup to "the stuff in the white and red can."

If you know your child does not like a particular ingredient, you can grind it in the food processor while they are not looking. They won't be able to taste it in the finished meal.

When you are feeding your child, sometimes you will need to use alternative ingredients or different methods. The main thing to remember is that when dealing with kids, you do need a certain amount of flexibility. The chicken noodle soup your child would never eat before can become his favorite if you let him help you prepare it and give it a cartoon name. - 15634

About the Author: