How to teach a child to eat vegetables

Sticking broccoli in a child is not an easy task."It's easier to dress an octopus for a walk than to force him to eat at least a spoon," sighs Nastya, the proud mother of the five-year-old Anton. And Anton is not alone. Throughout the world, children refuse to eat vegetables in an organized way. Why? After all, it is terribly useful, and often even delicious. Well, in our opinion, adult intelligence. This question was seriously asked by scientists from Staffordshire University. Yes, yes, British scientists, do not laugh. The researchers went to interview the younger students to find out once and for all what children do not like about fruits and vegetables. And the results of the study were published in the journal British Journal Food.Photo: GettyImages So what happened?It turns out that children aged 9-11 are well aware of the benefits of vegetables and fruits. But there is always some "but". Most often, children say they don't like vegetables because they don't even like the taste, but the texture. For example, one of the children described the mushrooms as "a little fluffy animal." He didn't like eating that. Another suggested that mushrooms tasted like "slimy worms." Ugh, even reading that is not very enjoyable, and besides, fruits and vegetables taste better than unhealthy foods. As it is also called, "trash" - chips, chocolate, and other sweets. In addition, chocolate and other delicacies in the mind of a child are often associated with a reward for something - well done, did it, hold the candy. But everything is not hopeless. Scientists have also figured out how to increase children's interest in healthy food. First, you can mask them with sauces and mix them with foods that the child is more loyal to. Chicken salad, for example. Or fried potatoes, where potatoes are diluted with zucchini. Also not very useful, but better than a burger with fries. Secondly, giving fruit in a form convenient for the child - it turns out that children often do not want to eat an apple or pear simply because they are uncomfortable eating the whole fruit. But cut - yes. But to cut yourself awfully lazy. Third, you do not need to create a negative perception. That is, to say: "You must", "It is imperative." Such expressions are perceived as pressure and arouse rejection. Well, fourthly, you need to set an example. Yes, you should also ditch chocolate in favor of apples. Or at least chew candy when no one sees you. Although lying to children, of course, is not good. Plus, healthy eating habits will come in handy for everyone, and so will you. Read on: