If your toddler is engaged and happy, they’re more likely to eat the food on their plate. Try these ideas to keep family mealtimes light-hearted, interesting and most importantly- fun:
- Serve food in interesting shapes and sizes to encourage play. Use cookie cutters to cut out star-, heart- or animal-shaped sandwiches. Pasta spirals or alphabet letters can keep them entertained.
- Bring meals to life by arranging your toddler’s plate into a fun face, or naming foods. Broccoli and cauliflower pieces resemble small trees and can be turned into a ‘fun forest’.
- Try to be relaxed about mess. Your toddler is likely to eat more if they’re allowed to feed themselves.
- Get your toddler involved in the preparation and cooking of the food! The sense of achievement and involvement will encourage your toddler to try their own creation.
- Use your imagination! Consider using a sticker chart; reward your toddler with a sticker every time they have a portion of fruit and veg.
