Tips and Tricks for Feeding Fruits and Veggies to Your Little One

Fruits and vegetables are essential to provide complete nutrition for the proper development of toddlers. But children have a personality of their own. They may not like even the tastiest food that you offer to them. In fact, most of the parents find feeding fruit and vegetables to their babies very challenging. You can’t force your toddler to eat something they don’t like. Disguising the fruits and vegetables in soups or cereals won’t work for long. However, you can try to be creative to encourage them to enjoy their healthy vegetables and fruits.

Tips and Tricks to Feed Fruits and Veggies to Your Child

Feeding fruits and vegetables to your little one is an important step in their development, as it provides them with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong. Here are six ways to feed fruits and vegetables to your little one:

1. Woo them with colors and shapes

Cut the fruits in different shapes to make them look interesting. Mix fruits of different colors like apple, mango, orange and strawberry and present them in a fun and appealing manner. A variety of colorful fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients and can help develop their taste preferences.

2. Cut them into small pieces

To avoid choking hazards, you can cut fruits and vegetables into small pieces or thin strips. Instead of chunks, it is better to start with grated vegetables. Additionally, you can mix canned, fresh frozen fruit and vegetables to get variety in color.

3. Try a fruit nibbler

Use vegetable and fruit nibblers with a handle to introduce your baby to various flavors and tastes. These easy to hold nibblers allow your baby to suck and explore the flavors of fresh or frozen fruit or boiled vegetables safely. With no risk of choking, their mesh or silicone nipples are food safe and allows only the tiniest part of the food to transfer. Mylo Fruit and Food Nibbler comes in various attractive colors, is BPA-Free, bite resistant, is easy to sterilize and has an easy grip for your munchkin.

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4. Let them be in control

Let your little one feel that they are in control by offering them a variety of fruits or vegetables to choose from. Chances of success are better when you ask him/her to select and not tell them to taste something. Try “What do you want to eat, an orange or a banana?”

5. Change their form

You can offer your baby a variety of vegetables and fruits in the form of different textures and forms. You can make fruit ice-popsicles, smoothies, or shakes for your toddler. This is an excellent way to feed them fruits and vegetables because kids around the world love smoothies and shakes.

6. Mix and match

As you feed vegetables to your baby, it can be fun to mix them with fruits and try different combinations. For example, you can mix sweet potatoes with melon or carrots with applesauce. This combination of fruits and vegetables will bring variety to their plate and palette.

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7. Practice patience

Be patient with your baby if he/she refuses to like certain fruit or vegetable. Don’t give up on trying until he/she begins to eat it. Remember you are building the foundation of healthy eating for your child that will help him throughout his/her life.

Closing Thoughts

Feeding fruits and vegetables to your little one is an important step in their growth and development. It can be a fun and exciting process to explore different tastes and textures with your baby. By following these tips and tricks, you can help your little one develop healthy eating habits and get the essential nutrients they need to grow and thrive. By making fruits and vegetables a regular part of your baby's diet, you can help set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

References

1. Hendrie GA, Lease HJ, Bowen J, Baird DL, Cox DN. (2017). Strategies to increase children's vegetable intake in home and community settings: a systematic review of literature. Matern Child Nutr.