It’s no secret that feeding children can be challenging at the best of times. Kids are fussy eaters, and trying to get them to eat healthy and nutritious food without hating their meals can be tough!

Children will get the best start in their young lives by eating food rich in vitamins and nutrients. With that in mind, what’s the secret to achieving that goal with your kids?

Take a look at the following eight examples of tips and tricks to encourage your children to eat healthier things each day:

1. Involve Your Kids With Meal Planning

It makes sense to include your kids during the mealtime planning process. If you make food and assume that they will eat whatever you prepare, the chances are high that they’ll reject what they get given some of the time.

Instead, tell them what you plan to cook, and if they object, you can work with them to make a healthy meal they’ll happily eat.

2. Be Creative With Food Presentation

Children are very creative, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many will enjoy things like arts and crafts.

Did you know their meal times can be creative with simple yet fun food presentation ideas? Experiment by arranging ingredients in different ways, shapes, or even as smiley faces.

3. Consider Pre-Packed Healthy Snacks

Sometimes the issue might center around snacks rather than main meals. If that’s a familiar problem, consider investing in some healthy grab and go snacks. They’re an excellent idea, especially if you’re busy and have little time for meal and snack preparation.

4. Lead By Example

It should come as no surprise that your children are more likely to eat healthier things if they see their parents doing the same.

They will want to do the same if you spend much of your time eating junk food! That’s why you should “lead by example” and eat healthy meals and snacks.

5. Give Your Kids Choices

While it makes sense to involve your kids in the mealtime planning process, it’s also a good idea to let them have choices. For example, you can give them several options, and they can select their favorites from your suggestions.

6. Offer Dips And Sauces

The flavor and experience of some meals are undeniably enhanced with certain dips, sauces, and dressings. You likely use some of them on your favorite dishes, so it’s worth giving your kids the option of using them as well.

7. Don’t Force Your Kids To Eat

One of the worst things you can do as a parent is force your kids to eat things they don’t want. Often, such negative experiences will follow them into adulthood, and they’ll refuse to eat specific meals or ingredients because of those experiences.

If your children don’t want to eat some meals, snacks, or ingredients, don’t force them to do so.

8. Make Mealtimes A Relaxed Experience

Finally, create a fun and pleasant atmosphere each time the family eats meals together. For example, you could play background music they like to hear or tell funny stories to lighten the mood!