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Four easy ways to make food interesting for your children

Getting children to eat healthy can get challenging. But with fussy eaters, the task just becomes doubly hard. Fret not, we got celebrity nutritionist Pooja Makhija to share her top tips on how food can be made interesting for kids. Here were some of her insights during her conversation with RJ Annie from 94.3 Radio One at L’Affaire Season 2

09 Feb 2018

Make it look good

Let’s face it, children can get really fussy about what they want to eat (or not). Making food look good is one way of getting them to try something. Think fancy, suggests Pooja. A fancy presentation goes a long way in making food appealing. “Try cutting rotis in different shapes and make dinosaurs. Use bread and cheese as clouds and grapes as raindrops. Throw in some veggies and broccoli as grass and kids will gobble it up,” she says.

Tell them why eating healthy matters

Healthy habits aren’t developed in a day. Pooja believes that every parent should talk to their child and explain the long-term benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. For example, eating fruits regularly leads to better skin. Also, use examples of whom they wouldn’t want to follow such as someone who has bad skin or is physically weak.

Lead by example

Practice what you preach, says Pooja. Setting an example at home is the best way to motivate kids. Children watch their parents and learn. So, leading a healthy lifestyle will help inculcate similar habits in the little ones too.

Help them strike a balance

Start early. Teach kids right from the beginning what is healthy and what isn’t. Give them a list of foods they should and shouldn’t eat frequently. Give children the right kind of knowledge and empower them to take their own decisions.