- All meals should be eaten at a table or kitchen counter.
- Limit meals to 20min. You can even make it shorter for younger kids. Set a timer for them. Children don’t have a good time concept. If they now the timer will go off they are more relaxed to know the end is near
- Warn the children 5min before mealtime in order for them to prepare themselves and finish playing their game.
- Have a set routine with mealtime e.g before we sit down we all go and wash our hands.
- Eat with your children as often as possible. You are the role model for good eating habits.
- Maintain a positive atmosphere during mealtimes.
- Talk about the food during meals. For example; “I really like the crunchy cucumber in my mouth” or “the butternut is nice and sweet tonight”.
- Allow children to dsih up for themselves. You can for example have 3 different vegetables at the table and the children should choice at least 2 of them. You can use small spoons to dish up with. Sometimes even a teaspoon is appropriate
- Never force a child to eat.
- Allow them to spit out food that they’ve tried and didn’t like.
- Remember you need to try a food 10 times before you know if you like it or not. Make that a rhyme in your house to remember.
- Talk to your child about how it feels to be hunger e.g. “I can hear my tummy rumble, I’m really hungry now” or “I keep looking at food everywhere, I’m hungry now”
- Include your child with food preparation. Also let them help setting the table and clearing the table.
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