Helping Kids Love What They Eat

Food is many things, it’s nutrition, but also joy and connection. When it comes to children, mealtimes can sometimes feel less like a joyful picnic and more like a negotiation table (ever hear “just one more bite”?). Creating a love for food from a young age can be so important to set them up to have a positive relationship with food for their life.

So, how can we balance ways to help children enjoy their food, and make sure they are building healthy habits at the same time? Our Dietitians discuss how to help children love what they eat at home and within childcare & kinder.

Nuggets are Nice, But Variety is Important

As much as nuggets and chips may be a kid’s go-to meal for dinner every night, we want to encourage variety. Think colourful fruit platters, crunchy veggie sticks with dips or even turning sandwiches into fun shapes.

When children are offered a wide mix of foods, they learn that mealtimes are about exploring flavours, not sticking to what is known. That doesn’t mean forcing broccoli though, it’s important to balance favourites with new foods so they feel safe and adventurous at the same time.

Removing ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ Food Labels

The earlier in life children see food as something exciting (not scary or stressful), the more positive their relationship with food and eating will be. Food and the mealtime environment can teach kids so much, tapping into their senses - colours, textures, culture, and even stories about family.

We want to try and avoid labelling foods as “good” or “bad”. Let’s talk about them as "everyday" foods, and “sometimes” foods. Carrots and apples may show up daily, while cake is a fun “sometimes” food. This removes guilt and association that eating sometimes foods as a bad behaviour to look down on. This helps kids to grow up with balance, not fear. After all, we want the whole experience to be joyful!

Tackling Fussy Eating One Exposure At A Time

You may have met or even cared for a child that will only eat white foods, or never touch green foods. The thing is, fussiness is part of the learning process - it’s how children explore their independence. One of the main things we want to focus on is not to make it a tug-of-war.

Pair the familiar with the new.

Do they like roasted carrots? Try roasted pumpkin next. It’s a similar colour, and cooked the same way.

Make it playful.

Rainbow plates, “taste tests”, or building faces out of veggies to make food fun.

Keep it low pressure.

If they don’t eat it today, that’s their autonomy. We can provide food, but they decide when and how much to eat without the fuss.

For more support to manage fussy eating behaviour in childcare, can be found here.

Mealtimes - Power Struggle Or A Chance To Connect?

The dining table doesn’t have to be a place of negotiations and battles, tipping the scales of power struggles. Think of mealtimes instead as a celebration - a chance to connect, laugh, and share stories about the day.

Let the devices have a break and allow the dopamine hits to come from stories about each other’s day. Serve food family-style, and let the kids have autonomy over what and how much goes on their plate. Share your joy about the food - “these strawberries are so sweet!”. When children see food as part of connection, they naturally build a healthier, happier relationship with eating.

How Childcare Educators Can Help Children Love Their Food

Childcare is often where children first explore food outside of their home. Educators play a huge role in shaping positive attitudes towards food.

Where suitable for the childcare, these are some ideas the centre can use:

• Involve children in the food prep (or cleaning prep!) - Washing ingredients, stirring, or serving their foods makes food exciting.

• Is there a garden? Allowing children to learn and be part of growing food they can later eat gives them a sense of accomplishment.

• Make it social. Let them sit and eat together, and chat about the food (that they may have made!)

• Celebrate variety - Theme days! Tropical Tuesdays, Cultural Wednesdays, Rainbow Fridays, adding fun without pressure.

How Parents Can Help at Home

As a parent, you are possibly the main role model for children. Children are incredible observers, and they emulate what they see.

• Eat together often, even if it’s just breakfast or a snack.

• Offer, don’t force. Keep serving a wide variety of foods, even if they don’t eat them at first exposure. They are gently and slowly building their repertoire of familiar foods!

• Get them involved. Let kids choose a fruit at the shops, stir the pancake mix, or sprinkle sauce/cheese over a dish.

• Stay relaxed. A messy but giggly meal is always a win.

Building A Joy For Food To Create Lifelong Habits

Helping kids love what they eat is about joy, connection, and variety. It’s not just about the food, it’s about the entire experience surrounding it. When they see food as something to enjoy, explore, and share, they are on their way to healthy habits and relationships with food that last a lifetime.

Remember to:

• Keep calm, pressure never works as well as patience.

• Keep food neutral, no “bad” foods, just balance.

• Allow them to have repeated exposure - it can take 10-15 tries before they even think about eating something new.

• Model the behaviour to them, show enjoyment when you eat foods you want them to eat.

If these small tips resonated with you, and you feel like you may need more in-depth support, the Accredited Practising Dietitians at OSCAR Care Group are here to help.

Reach out anytime - we love to chat about food, fussiness, and everything in between.