Feeding children can be a bit of a challenge at times especially if children are going through a fussy eating stage. One of the things that helped my children, was to make food fun and exciting. As adults we are very guilty of repetitive meals and I know how easy it is to fall into that cycle especially given the time challenges that many of us face. I want to share some really easy ways you can create fun food for your children without it taking up loads of extra time.
Children are extremely visual so by creating fun and engaging food you are encouraging them to eat with their eyes. Food should always be appealing to eat and one of the easiest ways to create an interesting meal is to include lots different food, in a wide variety of colours. Creating a rainbow of food not only ensures your child is receiving lots of different vitamins and nutrients but it is also visually appealing.
Trust me when I say, you don’t need to be Picasso to create fun food. Sometimes all you need is a little help and a few extra minutes. Having exciting tableware is not only fun to look at but it also makes your job creating fun food a lot easier. The Nuby Astronaut Plate is a great place to start if you are not confident about creating food art. As it has a non-slip base it’s perfect for babies and toddlers.
One thing I would recommend is buying a few cookie cutters. They can quickly turn a boring plate into a fun plate very easily. There is a huge selection of cookie cutters available to buy but my absolute favourites are just a simple star and love heart. You do not need to create food masterpieces every single meal time as that’s not realistic. Cookie cutters are a quick way to add a bit more visual appeal with very little additional time.
Using different themes from around the year is also a great way to inject some food fun. There are many different themes, but I like sticking to these main ones, Valentine’s Day, Spring, Easter, Summer, Autumn, Halloween, Winter and Christmas.
Halloween is my absolute favourite time to get creative with food, there are so many fun ways to add some spooky fun to your child’s food. Again, this can be made easier if you have some Halloween accessories like the Nuby Monster Feeding Plate or some cookie cutters.
About the author: Jen is mummy to Jessica and Oliver and is constantly looking for fun ways to help them learn and play whether it's through creative food or messy crafts. Check out more helpful tips on creating fun food and dealing with fussy eaters on her website www.allaboutkids.org.uk
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