Do you want to get your toddler to try more fruit and veg? Food author Annabel Woolmer is on hand to help…
MOST parents have been there: coaxing or bribing their children to try a new food.
The problem is that toddlers are stubborn and the more you push, the stronger they resist.
But toddlers are also inquisitive and creative, so I swear by cooking with them. When they explore food as part of a fun activity, it helps them see it as something to discover.
Children who are as young as 18 months can prepare simple dishes.
- Prepare in advance. For your child to feel happy to try things, you need a relaxed atmosphere. That is difficult if you are running around finding things in cupboards.
- Choose recipes where they can taste all of the ingredients. You want them to feel free to experiment, so avoid things they can’t eat like raw meat.
- Make them feel in control. Pick a recipe they can do largely by themselves. That feeling of independence makes them more likely to eat the end result.
- Make it fun. There is so much about cooking that toddlers love – bashing, pouring, mixing, painting, squishing. Emphasise these bits – with fun comes discovery.