by Emily Joy White

Created on: June 10, 2009   Last Updated: June 01, 2011

Children are naturally curious, even about food. The best way to get your child to eat new foods is to introduce a wide variety of foods. However, delay offering sweet tasting foods as long as possible because once the taste buds are introduced to sweets, the desire for them will be great.

When offering variety in color of food, there is an accompanying variety of flavors. Serve fruits and vegetables of many colors.  Pretty food always tastes better, so serve in creative ways. An example would be a piece of fruit or a vegetable carved or stacked in a way to resemble an animal or some other easy-to-recognize item. Food should be appealing to sight, smell, touch and taste.

Always model the behavior you wish you child to present. Never make a fuss or a face when eating something in front of your child. Demonstrate pleasure in preparing, serving and eating your food. Keep the variety coming. Mix up different combinations so that no one particular taste blend begins to develop. If habit is allowed to dictate, the child will soon insist that a cheese sandwich must be accompanied by a bowl of tomato soup, because he has always had it that way. Make sure that each feeding includes protein and complex carbohydrates. This combination is easy for the body to process and will keep the blood sugar even.

Serve fresh food. While opening a can may be tempting and knowing It may take a little time to peel an apple or prepare a melon or wash and prepare some grapes, this is time well spent. The sugars in natural fruit are much easier on the body than all the sugar stuffed into a can. Teaching a child to prefer fresh food early in life, will be an important step in assuring he will not face childhood obesity.

Involve your child in food selection. At a very early age, allow the child to accompany you on shopping trips and encourage him to know the names of vegetables and fruits. Teach him where each item comes from, be it from a tree, or a root. Show him pictures or take him to a farm or orchard. Expand the world of food so that fascination is full and interest is broad. Exchange fear and negative feelings about trying new things, to wonder and curiosity. Also involve your child in food prep as soon as possible. Even a three year old, standing on a chair pushed up to the counter, can be involved with mixing, stirring and preparing certain foods. Allowing the child to add ingredients (with adult help, of course), will open his acceptance of what his food consists of.

Food can be a rich and exciting part of life. Since eating is something we all must do, teach your child to be expectant and to find delight in trying new foods. Never use food as punishment or reward and guide your child to eat good foods, so that eating it will be associated with good health and energy. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, farmer's markets or other boutique grocery stores, where beautiful, natural foods are plentiful. Make mealtime fun!

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