When the child throws tantrums in eating children are moody by nature. The inclination of the children to eat food also depends on their mood-swings.
Making a child eat his or her food is becoming a tough matter these days. Most of the parents are facing trouble over the food fights of the children. This is virtually an international phenomenon. If we compare the situation with other countries, it is more or less the same everywhere.
But if you allow the children to eat their junk food which they want to eat, they will be very happy with it. They will even admit they are happy and willing to eat the junk food. But if you put pulse, vegetables and fresh fruits, they will make excuses that they are not hungry at all.
The reason behind this is the rising popularity and demand of the junk food. There is so much of sugar, salt and fats in the junk food that after consuming it for a while weight of the children starts increasing. Protein, vitamin and minerals in the body decrease and the body becomes fat, but is devoid of strength. The immune system will also decrease as a result of consuming excess junk food.
Realising the seriousness of the problem, some countries have taken over the process of managing breakfast and lunch of the school children.
In one period the teacher creates awareness about the advantages of the healthy food habit. The children are shown the particular vegetable and discussions are held on their qualities and benefits. The children are also told how a particular vegetable is cooked and how tasty they are. This way interest is generated among the children about the vegetable and their nutritional values. The idea is to make the children like and eat those vegetables.
The teachers make it a point that instead of talking about the net values of the fruits and vegetable, they talk about how tasty the cooked vegetable is. Foods are differentiated in their colour, shapes, sizes and above all their taste. If these vegetables are put in water what colour will it change to? These facts are told to the children in a very interesting manner so that some interest is generated among them about the Indian vegetables.
The Indian mothers should also adopt some new methods so that they can also be able to make their children eat what is healthy for them.
Let’s find out how.
For creating a new taste for the children, serve it in less quantity in a place. It may be possible that soon people will start liking the taste. Try to make the dish as tasty as possible. Serve the same food for yourself what you have given to your children.
When the child has grown up a little and is able to sit down and eat his food, you also sit with him and eat the same food which you have served to your child. If the child is small then share the same food for him in your plate and eat together so that the child understands what food you all are eating. The child will also learn from you the kind of good food required for the body.
Keep colourful crockery for the use of the children so that it develops interest in the food. Eating in the same utensil every day, he may not just get bored, but also lose interest in the food slowly. If possible buy the plate round or square in shape.
Whenever there is a holiday, take help of the child in cooking food so that he develops interest in cooking. Take help of the child in cutting the fruits also. Cut the fruit in different shapes, round or square or long and short. Also teach him how to slice the fruit. While eating, make the child taste the food from time to time. Either in the food or the fruit salad make them use the salt, pepper, black salt. The child should be able to judge the taste of the food and tell you the drawbacks.
Give food to the children only when they are hungry so that they understand the signal of hunger and ask you for food when they feel that signal when they are hungry. They should also understand the signal when their stomach is full and they should stop eating. When the child is hungry he will easily make compromise with the food.
It is necessary to make the child understand from a young age that he should eat only when he is hungry, but there should be a fixed time also for eating. If you give the child something to eat all the time he will not understand the signal of hunger. Then he will start throwing tantrums if you force him to eat something.
Prepare colourful vegetables for your child to get his interest in the food. Whatever the food is, be it parantha, pudi or roti, it should be tasty so that the child likes the taste and want to take more helpings of the food.
In the young age, the children learn to buy instant food from the market, but that’s not a good habit at all and must be avoided. Give the girls tip about how they can retain a good and shining skin by eating healthy food. Inform them about healthy food habits.
During their periods the girls lose a lot of blood. Tell them to eat healthy food to be able to regain their blood loss and also retain their glow on the skin. Boys too need to eat healthy food to keep their body fit and strong and energetic. Give the boys necessary tips about good food, healthy food. It will be very beneficial to them.
-Megha
