Melissa from MamaGourmand shares her tips for getting kids to eat what you cook. Say goodbye to dinnertime battles and tantrums and hello to stress-free meal time!
Today's episode is all about how to get your kids to eat what you cook!
I chat with Melissa, the woman behind the food blogger MamaGourmand.
Melissa is a Midwestern wife and mother of four who obsesses about food, loves to prepare gourmet-quality recipes, but is always short on time and energy. Daily, you’ll find Melissa working out at the local YMCA, creating a calorie deficit so she can have dessert. Possibly...it might also have something to do with the free childcare.
Her recipes taste time-consuming, but use simple ingredients and directions. They are great for busy home cooks who love to make delicious, whole ingredient dishes, but don't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. From decadent desserts to classic comfort foods, find a recipe for everyone, many with gluten-free alternatives!
Melissa doesn't have time to be a short order cook for her family so ensuring everyone eats what she prepares is important. Melissa offers great tips into how to make meal times less stressful for parents and I love her approach.
I'm not a parent myself, but I know that getting kids to eat a well rounded diet is hard, especially when there's things like chicken nuggets and pizza in the world. Hello, I find it hard to eat a well rounded diet when there's things like chicken nuggets and pizza in the world.
There's no judgement in this chat, everyone does what they need to to get the job done, but if you're pulling your hair out with "yucks" and "no's" at meal time, Melissa's tips will help!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
This week's recipe of the week is my banana coconut muffins. This healthy muffin recipe is kid friendly and great for popping in lunchboxes. Plus it's a great way to use up ripe bananas.
LISTEN IN
Listen in to today’s episode on Apple, Stitcher or Spotify.
Episode 30 - How to Get Your Kids to Eat What You Prepare
Tips for getting kids to eat what you prepare
- Don't assume your kids will only like things like chicken nuggets. We are conditioned to think kids will only like "kid food" but we need to give them a chance to try other things.
- Keep things interesting by not having a set routine like taco Tuesdays or pasta Wednesday. Have a meal plan but don't fall into a predictable routine so they are already saying "no" before you've started cooking but also that they are exposed to new and different foods.
- Don't give kids too many snacks so they don't fill up before their meals. This way when they sit down to eat dinner they'll be hungry and ready to eat.
- Don't give into the food tantrums. It may be a battle in the short term but it will make the long term much more pleasant.
- Don't stress about missing a meal. If they refuse to eat dinner, that's ok. Wrap it up, put it in the fridge and if they tell you that they're hungry they can have that. There's no need to make a separate meal or give them something else. If you give them a bowl of cereal or ramen noodles instead, it sets up a precedent where they can say they don't like what they are served and get what they want.
- Get kids involved in the cooking process. Tell them what you're making or trying out. Get their constructive thoughts on it.
LINKS DISCUSSED
- Grab Melissa's grocery guide that includes tips on how to meal plan and save money on your weekly budget.
WHERE TO FIND MELISSA
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