I might not like that food until I was grown up. And, I liked avocados the very next time. Teach the children in your care why a varied diet is important, Hogan adds. We need a variety to get all the nutrients to be healthy. Explain that when they're feeling tired or crabby, it could be because of poor eating.
Nutrition education grows in importance with the child's age.
Ideally, a child should be encouraged to get involved in planning and preparing family meals. That way, if a child doesn't like what the grown-up prepares, he or she can prepare a healthy alternative. Asgarian and her husband have three children, and their food preferences often conflict. Rather than become a short-order cook, Asgarian prepares only one entree, but allows the children to cook something else for themselves. To sum up, anyone, regardless of age or reputation as a picky eater, can improve his or her range of foods.