Preschoolers often prefer a variety of foods in one lunch.
Preschoolers can be notoriously picky eaters. Much to their parents' consternation, they will even leave their boxed lunches untouched. Not only do they refuse many of the foods that they are acquainted with, but they will not try new foods, especially when they are good for them. They often prefer sugar laden and overly processed meals. This is a challenge for parents. There are, however, some techniques for preparing lunch box meals that preschoolers will eat.
Food Should Look and Taste Good
Picky preschoolers will reject foods unless they both look good and taste good. Preschool children are much more inclined to eat foods that are presented in interesting ways and they will often accept lunch box meals that vary in texture, shape and color. To achieve this, use diverse types of bread and cut sandwiches into various shapes with cookie cutters. Another idea is to pack fruits and vegetables of only one color on a given day. Also, a mini pizza with a "smiley face" made of vegetables is more likely to be consumed than an ordinary one.
Portion Size
Picky preschool eaters usually prefer a lunch made of several small-sized foods over a lunch with a large main component such as a whole sandwich. In addition, they will often reject a whole fruit but will eat smaller individual fruit pieces. You should therefore serve a variety of undersized foods in a boxed lunch. An example of a complete lunch could be one half sandwich cut into thirds with the crusts removed, a fruit salad made of two green grapes, one half of a peeled orange, one sliced strawberry and tree blueberries, a tiny plastic container of yogurt with fruit, a small 100 percent juice drinking box and one cracker with cheese.
Let the Child Help
Almost every preschooler enjoys learning new skills and enjoys helping with household tasks. Also, a child is more likely to eat a lunch that he has helped to create. Let him use the lettuce spinner and show him grate carrots. If he combines raisins with the salad he has made by himself he will be more likely to eat it. He can also assist in putting sandwiches together, wrapping foods and adding the utensils. His sense of accomplishment should have will have a positive effect and motivate him to eat his boxed lunch.
Vegetables and Fruit
Fruits and vegetables should be a part of preschool snacks and lunches. There are a number of things you can do to make fruits and vegetables appeal to picky preschool eaters. One idea is to make fruit kebabs by skewering bite-sized fruit on sticks. You can also provide apple slices with a little container of peanut butter for dipping, or a container of sliced strawberries with a little chocolate sauce. Vegetables can be served in the form of zucchini or carrot muffins. You can also try small raw vegetable pieces with ranch dip that has been mixed with a little yogurt.
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