Unlike when a child is much older, a baby’s healthy eating habits are entirely dependent on the person who feeds him or her. After all, it’s not as though your little one can decide you’re just not creating a balanced enough meal and head to the supermarket to buy new ingredients. Therefore, if you want your son or daughter to consume only the most healthful options, then those are the choices you’ll need to make on his or her behalf.
At the same time, it’s important to recognize that a baby’s healthy eating habits don’t stop there. By giving your son or daughter the chance to try many different flavors and by trying to choose the most nutrient dense options, you can help him or her to grow up with a taste for variety and nutritious foods.
Easier said than done, right? It’s all well and good to say that peas and carrots are healthy for a baby, but when they don’t like them and refuse to eat them, then what? Some kids are picky eaters, after all.
The key is to keep trying. It may not sound like fun, but it actually can be. If your little one stubbornly resists eating broccoli or sweet potato, it doesn’t mean your baby’s healthy eating habits are doomed. There are lots of other healthy foods out there, so aim to give your child a taste of lots of them. Make trying new things normal.
Moreover, just because your baby doesn’t like a certain food from one brand, it doesn’t mean that the distaste for the ingredient will be universal. Just as you have your favorite brands for ketchup, soup and even frozen veggies, your child might like the taste of peas from one brand more than another. Each brand sources from different farms with different varieties of the ingredients and prepares the meals in their own ways. Even the most subtle differences can alter the taste in a way that your kid might like or dislike. Keep trying!
At the same time, make sure to keep a positive attitude during mealtime. Eating isn’t just about consuming food. It’s a social activity. When the act of eating is enjoyable, then your baby won’t mind trying new things and may even be more prepared to like what he or she tries, because the mood is already a good one.
Over time, you’ll come to discover the healthy ingredients your kid likes the most. Embrace that. Try to find other foods with similar tastes and help your little one to build a happy relationship with healthy food.