The secrets of parents whose children eat everything

We’ve all been there – watching another child emptying their plate enthusiastically and asking for more, while ours barely pick at a couple of bits. What could be the secrets of parents whose children seemingly eat everything?

Get familiar with foods

Children who are familiar with where foods come from are more likely to enjoy eating them. Involve your child in shopping trips, meal preparation and cooking, or maybe even growing their own food, so they know the process by which it arrived on their plate.

Give everyone the same meal

Young children really don’t need to have different ‘toddler meals’ from the rest of the family. You can give them the same healthy foods that you enjoy. In an ideal world, this involves sitting down as a family for every meal, but we’re all busy and sometimes this isn’t possible. Why not cook the family meal early and feed your toddler first? Eat together as often as you can – seeing the whole family enjoying the same food helps your child enjoy it too.

Just give it a try

Instead of insisting that your child eats a food they don’t like, encourage them just to try it – they may be pleasantly surprised! If they still don’t like it after trying, you could explain that it’s an ‘acquired taste’ – that is, they’ll probably like it when they’re older. Sometimes the idea of being grown up is enough for your child to give it another go.

Cut down on snacking

Children are more inclined to eat everything on their plates if they are actually hungry. If they snack constantly during the day, they’ll be less inclined to try something new at mealtimes. Limit snacks to two or three a day, and keep them light and healthy: sliced apple, carrot or cucumber, plain yogurt or rice cakes. Energy-dense snacks such as biscuits, cakes and crisps can affect a child’s appetite.

Go continental

Take inspiration from our continental neighbours in France and Italy who make every mealtime an enjoyable occasion for everyone around the table. The food itself takes centre stage and everyone discusses it, eats with enthusiasm, and encourages the children to enjoy it – being good role models for eating behaviour. Meals are structured and often begin with a healthy vegetable dish or tempting salad - children wolf this starter down because they’re hungry. And they’re hungry because they don’t snack before meals.

Make it look tempting

It matters to children what food looks like. A bowl of beige or khaki mush is uninspiring, whereas a plate of bright orange carrots, purple beetroot, yellow baby corn and green peas looks far more appetising. You could get creative and make pictures on the plate – a broccoli forest on top of a mashed potato hill, or a teddy with vermicelli fur, an olive nose, Brussels sprouts for eyes and a ketchup smile. Encourage your child to talk about the foods – what do they look like? Smell like? Taste like? Can they create their own food art?

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