LIVE
Creative Eats Do you have picky eaters at home? Here are some fun ways to present healthy food. Words by Tania K. Cowling Photos by Jessica Friend Do you hear your child saying, “Yuck!” to foods you serve? Getting kids to eat healthy is a real challenge. If your kiddos are only asking for chicken nuggets and milkshakes, then they may be lacking many of the vitamins and minerals they need for good health and growth. If this happens often in your home, then consider your child a selective eater. So, what can parents do? Be a good role model by eating healthy foods and keeping the mealtime atmosphere calm and argument-free. The American Academy of Pediatrics has put together some quick tips about feeding a picky eater: •
Allow your child to pick a new healthy food at the market.
•
Encourage your child to help you prepare food in the kitchen.
•
Let your child feed himself, even if it’s messy.
•
Give your child choices between good foods he likes and new foods to try.
Parents can also be creative chefs and present some fun meals. Children may be so intrigued by the presentation of the food that they're inspired to try something new.
Butterfly Salad • Gather lettuce leaves using both green and red lettuce varieties. • Place the lettuce on a plate to resemble butterfly wings. • Take a carrot stick and insert it in the center of the wings as the insect’s body. • An olive makes the perfect head, and sliced olives can decorate the wings like the black marks of a Monarch butterfly. • Cut two tiny strips of red pepper for the antennae. • Present this salad to your youngsters with their favorite dressing.
16 PLAYGROUND Oct / Nov 2020
About the Author: Tania K. Cowling is a former educator, author, and freelance/ghostwriter for parenting magazines and online sites. She lives in Central Florida.
