Yes, Play With Your Food!

And Other Ways To Get Your Little One To Eat Healthily

Getting your little one to eat their veggies, etc. can be a challenge Toddlers and young children are often picky, defiant, and downright disagreeable as they attempt to figure out the world around them and their place in it. One of the ways they do this is to try to control whatever they can. And all they can really control is what goes out and what goes in.

The dinner table can so easily become a battleground as we try to get our kids to eat healthy food. But we’re often losing the battle and honestly, it’s our fault. Or, maybe the fault of those that came before us.

I, like many of us, was raised in a certain way. It was a way in which choice and autonomy weren’t recognized. There it is, eat it, shut up, was the order of the day. Yeah, that doesn’t work.

That was the 70s and 80s. I raised my kids after that. And you know what? My kids ate their veggies. They ate their fruits. They loved them. Why? Because I didn’t make such a big freakin’ deal about it. Here’s the bullshit I turned on its head to get them to eat and love healthy food.

Yes, Play With Your Food: Toddlers play with stuff. That’s how they learn about the world around them and everything in it. Table manners will come later. Nobody’s looking for the most civilized 2-year-old. Nobody cares. Well, except maybe you. Sweetie, climb over your own ego, little McKenzie or Justin or whomever, is a savage. He’s (or she’s) ill-mannered. Do you know why? They’re fucking new here.

So calm down. If they want to sniff, fondle, and toy with the food, let them. They’re trying to work out how this thing fits into their world. I know you want them to love broccoli, but to them, it’s new. They’ve never seen it. Give them, and the broccoli a chance.

Fuck table manners for the moment. I’m pretty sure the Queen isn’t coming over. If your baby wants to make that brussel sprout a damn car that goes vroom-vroom, leave it. There is literally nobody that’s critiquing little Madison’s fork and knife skills. And if they are, get your ass some new friends. Kids are kids. They learn as they go. It’s how kids integrate shit into their environment.

Dippin’: You want a kid to eat a veggie, give them dip. Seriously, this is a 100%, fool-proof, no-bullshit way to get a child to eat either veggies or fruit.

Dipping is fun. Kids love it. Ketchup, Ranch Dressing, Yogurt, whatever, doesn’t matter. Babies love to dip stuff. Who cares if little Justin wants to dip his carrot sticks in ketchup. Is it gross? Kinda? Is this a battle you want to fight? No. Let that baby dip the delicious fruit and veg into whatever fucked up concoction he or she wants. You’re winning here. Don’t get it twisted. Focus on the battle, not the war.

My kids dipped everything. And they dipped it in everything. Okay, I still win, you ate the carrots. Sure, they were slathered in ketchup, but you ate them. Score 1 for me.

Choice: Toddlers and small kids are looking for their place in the world. They’re searching for something they can control. Let them. I mean within reason, but let them. Give them a choice. It’s so simple, “hey, Maddy, do you want peas or broccoli with supper tonight?” They pick, they’ll go with it. It’s okay to have a preference, we have them.

More On Choice: This one is something I had the luxury of doing. Some may or may not. But I took Mr. Fussy (my middle son and the fussiest of the bunch) shopping with me. I let him choose fruit and veg. Within reason, I’d show him 2 choices. When he picked it, he ate it.

Even More On Choice: One thing I did with my kids was I’d take them with me shopping, and they’d get a turn to pick a fruit or veggie they wanted to try. It was a 3-week rotation, and it cost less than $2 each time. They’d pick a fruit or vegetable they wanted to try. I’d get it. No questions. It might be a 56 cent ugly fruit, I’d cut it up between them. They learned they could explore food and discard what they didn’t like.

Clean That Plate, Or Not: I was raised to think I had to eat everything put in front of me. Sometimes I wasn’t hungry. Pressuring a child to eat everything isn’t cool. First, you might encourage them to overeat. Second, it might make them go the other way and restrict food. Kids won’t generally make themselves uncomfortable. If they’re full, fine. Let them be. And if they want a little more later, well, the food will keep in the fridge.

Two Bites: My rule at home was whatever it was, you have to give it two bites. Two actual bites chewed and swallowed. If you did that and said no, okay. Children, like adults, have preferences, and I’m cool with that. If your kid hates mushrooms, why would you load his/her plate with them? To pick a fight? To assert your dominance? Yeah, so not the goal.

Food is such an important part of the human experience. It can harm us. It can nourish us. But there are so many issues around it, needless issues. It’s not that hard to expose and convince young children to eat healthily. Make it fun. Don’t make it a fight and you’ll be on your way.