Five positive ways parents can make mealtimes enjoyable for children, writes Anitha Bennet

Mealtimes in most homes with children often resemble a battleground. Verbal wars, whining over food, sulking and crying tend to be the norm especially when parents insist on children eating healthy food. During the on-going pandemic with families confined to home and social interactions restricted, getting children to eat healthy food has become an even more arduous task for parents. Here are five recommendations for parents to make family mealtimes enjoyable for children.

Children thrive on routine. This is a no-brainer but few follow it. Most families have very erratic mealtimes. Work-from-home and online schooling has further upset schedules. Plan children’s three meals and snacks at a set time every day and don’t deviate from this routine. You will notice that children will start feeling hungry around scheduled mealtimes every day. Reward them with a dessert for every meal they finish without fuss.

Children eat better when hungry. Three balanced meals a day with two snacks in-between is the ideal diet recommended for children. But if you feel your child is too fussy and has a poor appetite, cut down on the snacks but not meals. If your child likes snacking in between meals, dole out healthy options such as cornflakes and fruits instead of biscuits and potato chips.

Children love to eat what they cook. Search for kid-friendly recipes on the Internet and rustle up meals with children’s help over weekends. Most children love to eat what they cook. Also enlist their help whenever possible for meal preparation. Knowledge of the culinary process keeps children interested and will inspire them to consume jointly prepared meals.

Children enjoy creative mealtimes. How about a Chinese night with lanterns and homemade Chinese food? Or a Hawaiian dinner with fruits and salads? Make mealtimes enjoyable and creative. Another great option is to add spice to the dining experience by incorporating games. For instance, you could play the I Spy game. You could say I spy a green leaf on the table (palak) or I spy something yellow with black dots (an overripe banana!) etc. Try this game on a Sunday and holidays.

Children have food preferences. Like adults, children also have their food preferences. So before you agonise over every meal, remind yourself that it is ok for children to refuse some foods now and again. Also you could try disguising the food that she dislikes with what she likes. For example, if she loves tomato sauce and dislikes egg, a fluffy omelette with tomato sauce will incentivise her to eat it.

Another golden rule to remember is to never raise controversial, gloomy topics at the dining table. Also avoid talking down and lecturing children during meals.

Also Read:My child is a fussy eater. Help!