Little children love to be actively involved in what adults are doing, and there are loads of ways to leverage this enthusiasm. And, even as they get older and that enthusiasm wanes, there are lots of benefits for still getting them on board.

 

So, get all your kids to help out with meal prep. They can take turns on jobs, do a night each, or whatever plan suits your family. Younger children can help out by washing fruit and vegetables, while older kids can be more hands-on.

 

When children are allowed a glance at the process of food prep and feel engaged in the result, they are more likely to eat what they’ve helped create. Involve kids in planning the meals and shopping for the ingredients as well as cooking. For more mealtime fun, you could also give them the special task of setting and decorating the table.

 

Empower your children by giving them choices about what they want to eat. This could look like family meal planning, where each family member gets to choose a meal during the week, or asking them to choose their favourite from a few different healthy options when preparing their school lunches.

 

Another great idea is Platter Chatter. Make a share platter of lots of the different food items that everyone in the family loves. Think cut up veggies, chicken skewers, wraps, cheese, hummus or other dips, potatoes or kumara, and maybe some salad.

 

Then, each family member can choose the items they want to eat that night. You can set some parameters that suit - ie. you can’t only eat the crackers or you must have at least one meat/veggie type! Once everyone has their choices on their plate, go around the table and celebrate one thing you love about each family member.

It’s easy to obsess about what your kids are eating and how much. Are they getting enough protein? Should they be eating more vegetables? This concern is natural, but if that’s all you focus on, you’re likely to end up stressing yourself and your little ones out.

 

Try easing the pressure by focusing on the fun and connection of mealtimes. This is a rare opportunity to have everyone sit down together, away from distractions. The more relaxed and fun mealtime is, the more your kids will look forward to it and forget to focus on what they’re eating.

You don’t have to be a master chef to please your kids. Just get a little experimental and mix things up. Nutrition experts have found that children are more likely to try new foods when they are presented in different ways, so try some of the following tips:

• Have breakfast for dinner and dinner for lunch
• Set up a picnic in the backyard or on the lounge room floor
• Create a meal with a theme – their favourite movie, a country, or a colour
• Make plates look pretty by serving up a multicoloured rainbow of items
• Invent new, fun names for food or meals (is it avocado on toast or Shrek Pizza?)
• Serve food on a stick
• Cut foods into fun shapes
• Use juice, vegetables or fruit to create natural food colourings and transform boring mashed potatoes into green or pink hills.

Never underestimate the power of a special plate or piece of cutlery! A fun plate can help make any mealtime fun for your kids.

 

We love this range of bamboo dinnerware for kids from Bobo & Boo. Not only is it bright and appealing, but it’s also sturdy and non-toxic. Give your child more ownership by letting them choose their favourite colour!

 

You don’t have to stop at plates, either – help your toddler feel like a big kid with this adorable Toddler Feedie cutlery set just for them.

Everybody loves a great dip, and kids are no different. Encourage them to dip bite-sized chunks of food into their favourite healthy dip – think fruit in mashed up cottage cheese or yoghurt, apples or carrots in peanut butter, veggies in hummus, or chopped up meat in sweet and sour sauce.

For generations, savvy parents have been able to get their children eating a range of fruit and veggies by disguising them. The modern-day version of this is the go-to smoothie. You can pack a lot of nutritional punch into a smoothie while still making it appeal to kids.

 

Double down on the nutrition by adding a Smoothie Bomb to the cup. Packed full of all the essential nutrients every family member needs, these bombs of goodness are nutritionist developed and selective eater approved!

SHOP SMOOTHIE BOMBS

Did you know that kids aren’t just selective; they actually need more colour and options on their plates than adults? According to a Cornell study, “Children are most attracted to food plates with seven different items and six different colours. Adults, on the other hand, tend to prefer only three items.”

 

Bento boxes are a great way to fit a variety of different food types in – and they don’t have to be just for school lunches. Why not bring them out at dinner, breakfast, or snack time?

 

Ready to make mealtime fun again? We sure are! Head on over to the online store and browse our mealtime items - whether it’s plates, lunchboxes, smoothie cups or nutrition bombs - we have you covered!