Presenting Healthy Grub for Your Little Chub | Here’s How You Can Hack Meal-Time

There’s no denying that meal time can be the most delightful or dreadful time of the day.

After all, tiny tots, armed with spoons and forks, are a tough crowd to please.

And getting them to finish a square meal, voluntarily and happily, is quite the little pickle.

Do you find yourself making lavish promises in return for clean plates?

Are you resorting to screen time just to get your fussy toddler to take a bite?

Has brekkie become a full-on horror show?

The hustle for wholesome eating is real!

Mama and papa bears, say no more.

We’ve got a solution to ensure your toddler meals are Goldilocks approved!!

Here is Greendigo’s round-up of tasty tips to get your child up to gold star gobbling standards.

Set the table with colourful plates

Did you know, brightly coloured plates can boost a picky eater’s appetite? In fact, containers of all kinds – snack boxes, snack packs, snack jars – can influence a child’s healthy eating habits. So, source the coolest and quirkiest ones for your hungry munchkins. A colour palette triggers the taste palette like nothing else!

Make fun shapes out of food

As with the colour theory, shapes also work wonders with a child’s taste buds. Create a smiley face, out of fresh berries, on a millet pancake. Carve out a star or heart from slices of multigrain bread. Make a snowman out of steamed rice cakes. Nutritious food plus adorable shapes equal nom-nom!

Map nutrition levels on a food chart

There’s nothing like a little arts and crafts project to get your child’s tummy growling and mind working. All you need is paper, markers, and a pack of fruit and vegetable stickers. After each meal, have your child put a checkmark in the relevant food-group box. This way, they can easily track what they need to eat more of or less of. 

Go on a grocery store haul

Involving kids in the shopping process can be a wonderful way to get them thinking of healthy and nutritious foods. Hit the markets, navigate the isles, peruse the organic shelves, and even give them a whiff of the fresh ingredients. Trust us, this trick works like magic!

Plan a cooking masterclass 

From shopping assistants to sous chefs, take your kids on a journey of green, clean eating. When you include them in the prep work, they’re more likely to enjoy the end result. Cooking together and coming up with delicious recipes is great for bonding. Plus, it also helps to develop their interpersonal skills.

Model healthy eating habits

If you’re munching on cookies and chugging on cola, you can’t expect your toddler to crave broccoli, can you? A child mimics their parent’s actions, and you’ll want to ensure you’re setting the best example for them. Remember, your mini-me is always watching. So, practice what you preach.

Apart from the above tips, there’s one all-important rule that you should never forget – planning!

Plan, schedule, execute, improve.

Good luck for your healthy potluck… 😊