5 Ways To Help Toddlers Enjoy Dinner

Ask a toddler to choose between a bowl of snacks and a plate of food for dinner and chances are, the child will pick the first option. This is because when babies are ready for solids,  they are only given small amounts of food (usually in bowls) that are easy and quick to eat. Once they grow older, they will need to start eating more food groups or bigger portions in one seating.

As a result of this, helping a child make the transition from baby meals to kid or adult meals can be a huge struggle. This is an issue that parents will have to tackle head-on frequently during dinnertime.

 

Encouraging a Child to Eat Dinner

There are several techniques that will help parents encourage their child to enjoy and finish his dinner.

1.   Make sure the toddler sticks to his snacking schedule.

Always keep snack times on a set schedule. Usually, the best time to give a child a small snack is when he comes home from school.

If parents always let their toddler eat whenever he wants, he will likely eat something right before dinner because he’s busy doing drawing or watching TV. As a result, he will be too full to eat something for dinner. If parents want their toddler to be ready to eat dinner, it’s best to set a snack time that is at least two or three hours before dinner.

 

2.   Let the child help in preparing and cooking the meal.

Most of the time, toddlers will be very happy to eat dinner if they helped prepare the dish. They will feel a certain level of pride if they contributed something to make the meal, no matter how small it was.

A child can be given simple meal prep tasks such as breaking eggs, mixing the ingredients, or sprinkling the toppings on salads and other dishes. Keep in mind that the more the child helps, the more likely he will want to eat his finished product or creation.

3.   Serve the child the same food everyone will be eating.

To help a child get used to eating like everyone else, it’s ideal to give him the same dishes everybody in the family is eating. Avoid being a short order cook since according to nutrition advisors , this practice will do nothing good for parents and their children alike.

Unless a child or someone else in the family has certain dietary restrictions or needs, everyone should be served the same meals. When parents are consistent with doing this, toddlers can soon get accustomed to eating whatever is on the table.

4.   Have the whole family present at the table during dinner

As much as possible, make dinner time family time. Adjust dinner time (if necessary) so that everyone will be present during this meal. When everyone is present for dinner, toddlers will see more people enjoying their meals and will thus imitate them.

Make a show of how good and tasty the food is and ask the others to do the same. Any child will certainly be more eager to eat something if he sees other people, including their parents, loving the dish. Mothers and fathers will also have an easier time encouraging their child to try new dishes and even finish their meal since everyone will be supporting the little one.

5.   Serve dinner at the right time.

According to experts, human bodies are programmed to have dinner at around five in the afternoon. This is because in ancient times, everyone had to eat before the sun went down, when there was still light.

There is nothing wrong with having dinner early in the evening, but it is important to make sure that the child doesn’t feel hungry before he sleeps.  As such, if dinner will be served early, a toddler must be provided a light snack before bedtime. If the parents want everyone to be present during dinner, the time can always be adjusted accordingly. Just make sure the child isn’t too full before dinner so that he can still finish his meal.

 As soon as a child can sit properly on a high chair, they can be included in family dinners. By starting early, parents will have an easier time encouraging the child to eat with the grown-ups and adding variety to his diet.                                                                

How did you get your own toddler started with eating bigger meals? Sound off in the comments below.