Veggies are one of the most important components of our food pyramid.
I remember my mom coming up with different ways of how to get my sister and me to eat our veggies at home. One of the things she did was to give us rewards for every time we ate our plate full of veggies. “Eat your veggies so that you can grow up big and strong” my mother would say, and I would just look at her with my toddler face and shake my head.
However, getting your special needs toddler or child to eat vegetables doesn’t have to be hard! Just check out these creative tips on how to get your special needs child to eat healthy foods below while ditching the snacks sometimes.
Tips on How to Get Your Child to Eat Veggies
Tip 1 Praise your Child with Rewards
Growing up I honestly don’t remember being one of those kids who were like “I love eating my vegetables” but I can assure you that my mom didn’t play when it came time to encourage my sister and me to eat healthy foods. One creative way of getting your special needs child to eat vegetables is to praise them with rewards.
After my sister and I would finish our food on our plate our mom would put a sticker on our reward chart on the fridge for every time we follow directions. Whether that was eating all of our food, taking a bath, or cleaning our room. Rewarding children when displaying positive behaviors is a great way to teach them patience, discipline, and responsibility.
Tip 2 Mix them with other Foods
I know that this may be a no-brainer but for some, I have to say this! If you’re trying to get your toddler or special needs child to eat vegetables or any other type of food they despise then try mixing it in with other foods. You can mix the food into mashed potatoes or any other type of food textures that go along with the type of food that they don’t want to eat. Also, you can just cook the food that they do like along with the food that they don’t like into one big pot until it is blended and combined where they can’t tell the difference.
Tip 3 Veggie Gummy Supplements
Another great way to get your special needs child or toddler to eat food is by providing them with food supplements. Gummies are a great way to get your child to get all of their nutrition because they gummies are easy to chew, and swallow, and also look like candy to them. Even as adults we love our gummies to help us stay healthy, fit, and strong.
Tip 4 Play a Food Game
This by far is one of my favorite ways to get a child to eat with GAMES! The first game Guess the 10 is a great way to get your child to not only explore some foods around the world but also recognize and want to try out some new foods when you cook them. Another cool food game that your child could play is a food memory game.
By getting your child to play these games and then implementing them inside your home you’re giving your child a sense of freedom when choosing what foods to eat and then try out. Try coming up with your own eating games to help your child learn about and eat new foods at home.
Tip 5 Give them Options!
Now you’re probably thinking if I’m trying to get my special needs toddler or child to eat the food that I cook why would I give them options? Well because when starting you don’t want to discourage your toddler or child from eating healthy foods.
When you give your child the option of eating between two healthy foods that they don’t like then you’re still in control, but in their eyes, they think they’re in control because you gave them the option of choosing between 2 to 3 different types of vegetables.
Even as adults we like having options when it comes to choosing between multiple things. When we’re given options it eases our mind and limits our choices for when we need to make a quick decision.
