As your little one discovers more and more foods, he will also begin to develop preferences for certain foods over others. I remember boasting that my son would eat any vegetable placed before him. Well, I can’t brag about that anymore. Half of the veggies placed before him end up on the floor unless they are smothered in red sauce… which brings me to my topic for the day: how do you get your toddler to eat healthy?
Rule #1: Provide a variety. One of the easiest ways to get your baby or toddler to taste and eat a variety of foods is to present a variety of foods. What is it about a buffet that keeps us coming back for more? There are so many more foods to try? Babies appreciate variety just as much as we do. If it’s on the plate, surrounded by both new and familiar foods, chances are your child will try it, even if she doesn’t get around to it until the end of the meal.
Rule #2: There is no guilt in dip. Many kids will eat healthy foods if they have some kind of sauce to go with it. Some kids like ketchup (get the real kind, without the high fructose corn syrup). Some kids like a little ranch dressing. My son loves red sauce! One time we caught him dipping his fish sticks in apple sauce. I wouldn’t eat it, but if he likes it, I’m not going to stop him.
Rule #3: Offer it at least seven times. For some kids, that is how many times they need to be exposed to a new food before they will develop a taste for it. Don’t give up too soon. The first time they may only look at it. The second time they may sniff and touch it. The third time they may taste it and spit it out. You never know, they may end up loving it the fifth or sixth time you offer it.
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