Everyone knows it is essential for children to have a healthy, varied diet however it seems for the majority of parents out there their children are picky eaters who will only eat a tiny and inflexible list of food groups!

It is easily to get stressed in these situations, the main thing is that they are eating  something and are growing at a normal rate.

Here are some of our top tips to get your children to eat more healthily :

  • Hide the vegetables in sauce! For example, if your child loves spagetti bolenaise whizz up some extra veg and hide it in the sauce – trust me they won’t notice. Dinners like lasange, stews and curry are a great way to hide vegetables in dinners without any temper tantrums!
  • Smoothies and juices are your friend – There is plenty of fruits out there that you can easily include in your childs smoothie without them knowing while you give them a extra hit of vitamins and minerals.
  • Ask other parents – every parent has a tip or trick that helped them along the way. Sharing experiences with other parents are a great source of support in times of crisis.
  • If you are really concerned, children specific multivitamins is an easy way of ensuring your child has their recommended daily allowance of nutrients.
  • Include your child in the cooking process, if they feel a part of it there is more chance they will eat it! Compliment them on their hard work and make a bit of a fuss – what child can resist that!
  • Watch cooking programmes with your child – it will help them develop an interest in food and who can resist the freshly prepared chef creations you see on TV! With a bit of luck they will want to try it themselves!
  • Purchase kid friendly cookbooks for meal ideas picky eaters will love
  • Ask medical professionals for their advice – if you are particularly worried about your child’s diet perhaps arrange for a blood test to be performed. You will see if your child is deficiant in any key nutrients.
  • Do not let your child have treats if they refuse their dinner – they will fill up on sugar just before bed which is a recipe for disaster also
  • Most of all relax, as long as your child is eating and growing normally there is little to worry about and treat this as a phase that your child will soon grow out of!