As a rule, children like to eat sweet food right from the start and usually reject bitter and sour foods. Over time, the environment, traditions, and upbringing have a significant impact on eating behavior. In toddler and kindergarten age, the parents’ influence on the children’s eating behavior is particularly great.

Healthy nutrition right from the start

Introduce your child to a healthy diet as early as possible because habits from childhood usually last a lifetime. Anyone who only drinks lemonade as a child will rarely enjoy drinking water later. And if you only eat white bread as a child, you will probably not like to eat whole-grain bread later.

In this way, you can positively influence the eating behavior of your children

• You are the most important role model for your children. It is therefore important to question your own behavior from time to time.
• Show that eating is fun and enjoyable. Setting the table nicely and create a pleasant atmosphere. Children also eat with their eyes.
• Eating shouldn’t mean compulsion. Children should decide for themselves whether and how much they want to eat. Trust your child and their natural satiety mechanism. Not every child eats the same amount every day.
• Encourage your child to try something new. For example, offer your child black and green olives and let them taste the difference.
• Encourage your children to eat independently, even if it requires a lot of patience.
• Children do not need special children’s foods. You can take part in the normal family diet.
• Don’t let your children eat and drink too many sweets. High-fat fast food shouldn’t be on the menu that often either.
• Children should also be allowed to drink while eating. However, it should be avoided that children drink half a liter of liquid immediately before eating and are already full.

Pay attention to children’s preferences

Children like to use their senses while eating, they like to test their sense of touch. Hearing also plays a role: Many children prefer to eat raw vegetables than cooked ones because they “crack” nicely.

Children love colors. Plates with dishes in different colors or a colorful drink, for example, mineral water with a dash of red grape juice, automatically entice you to enjoy eating and drinking.