When you have picky eaters

Is your child a picky eater?. Don’t worry; you are not alone. Mothers all over the world worry about their children’s eating habits and feeding them the right amount of nutrients.

Try these tips to deal with your picky eater.

1. Set fixed meal times for your child.  Let him have breakfast at least half an hour before he leaves for school. At school, he can have mid-morning snacks and lunch at noon. When he returns home after school, he can have tea. Dinner should be served at least an hour before your child’s regular bedtime so that it has time to digest before he goes to bed.
2. Do not give too many options - Imagine this scenario. You have just cooked a new dish for your child, and your child is refusing to eat it.   Instead of giving her another food item, be firm. Tell your child that she cannot leave the table until she has finished eaten everything you have put on her plate.
3. Do not offer your child ‘compensations’ (chocolates, junk food, ice creams, etc.) for finishing his food. Do not allow your child to bargain with you; be firm and your child will eventually realize that you mean business. Remember the words, “There is no better sauce than hunger!” (Raymond Feist)
4. Do not allow your children to snack instead of eating a proper, cooked meal - If your child does not finish his food, and tells you that he is hungry after sometime, do not give him anything. Tell him that there is no food left. This will convey the message that you mean business, and that if he does not eat at the correct time and does not eat enough he will not get anything else.
5. Evaluate your own eating habits. Are you a picky eater yourself? Then you can’t blame your child for being one. For example, if you can’t stand the taste of spinach, you can’t blame your child for not eating it.

At Knorr Soups we understand your difficulties in dealing with unhealthy eating habits. That is why we have over 17 varieties of soups to satisfy your child’s hunger, and their need for great tasting food. Visit us at http://www.facebook.com/KnorrSoup for additional recipes and latest statistics on healthy eating, for you and your family.

Does your kid love cooking?

When was the last time your child helped you in the kitchen? Never? If you want children to develop healthy eating habits for a lifetime, invite them into the kitchen.

When Cartoon Network’s popular food character, “Chowder” conducted a survey of Indian kids, they found that Indian food topped the list, with both North and South Indian food getting equal marks. Cartoon Network conducted the survey to understand Indian children’s eating and cooking habits. The highlight of the survey however, was that both boys and girls love cooking, and would like to experiment with food. Surprisingly 68% of the boys surveyed wanted to learn to cook.

So how does learning to cook help them develop healthy eating habits? Learning to cook helps them learn about nutrition and healthy eating. They start learning about the ingredients that goes into a meal or a snack. Moreover, if they cook it, they will eat it.

Need more reasons to cook with your child? How about increasing their ability to create, and work in a team? How about learning a skill that they can rely on all their lives? And finally, how about the bond you build with them when cooking food for the entire family?

So if you want to get your children into the kitchen, start with snacks and meals that are easy to make, and healthy to eat like soups full of vegetables, garlic toast, fruit and vegetable salads, milk shakes. For more ideas, connect with us at http://www.facebook.com/KnorrSoup

Do your kids cook? Share your experience, including tips and suggestions, with us.