Tips for teaching toddlers to eat well

Meal time with toddlers can be difficult. Those of us who have had children know that forcing a toddler to do anything can have disastrous results. Making a game of an issue while teaching may be a healthier and happier means to a desired result. That demands time and creativity.

Your child is only young once, and the time you have with him or her is precious. In my last blog I talked about growing a garden to help your child learn about veggies and encourage him or her to try them. If you do not have time to plant and tend a garden, consider buying a few potted tomato and green pepper plants. Herbs are also easy to grow inside.

Go to a farmers market and buy fresh produce which tastes better than processed fruits and veggies. Offer your children the fruit and veggies raw and cooked. Then compare and talk about the results. Becoming aware of the different veggies and fruits is the first step in learning to like them.

If you have a child who is gluten-free, then check out our blog with gluten-free recipes on the Maine Warmers' web site, or subscribe to the Maine Warmers' e-Newsletter, published once a month. If you subscribe, your name will be entered into a monthly drawing for a free Maine Warmer, a microwave heating pad in the shape of a sheep or some other

Sheep microwave heating pad

animal. Check out Maine Warmers on Facebook for give-a-ways and specials.

Encourage your child to eat vegetables

Plant a vegetable garden and you may help your children learn to like veggies. Although

kids won't want to spend as much time in a garden as you do, they will enjoy helping you or playing in the dirt nearby. Kids love to spend time with their parents. I remember my oldest son, when he was age 4, sitting between the rows of peas, picking, opening the shells, and eating the peas raw.

The end of the day was a nice time to catch up on the day's activities with him while I filled the bucket with enough greens for supper. The little crisp round peas were sweet and delicious. At times I felt like sitting down beside him and not worrying about cooking.

The baby carrots were not so easy to eat right out of the garden unless we had a hose to wash the dirt off. Green beans were also good to eat raw and a little easier to access than the peas. I think my son liked the colors of the garden. The deep green peppers, the red tomatoes, and the yellow squash were attractive as well as tasty.

Growing your own veggies can be fun and educational. It depends upon how you approach it. One of the rewards is that your children may learn to enjoy veggies - an important ingredient of good health.

As the mother of two sons who love vegetables -- and know how to cook them -- I know the time it took to teach them was well worth the effort.

Have been working in the garden for extended periods of time and have stiff muscle? Keep a Back Warmer from Maine Warmers handy to help relieve stiffness in joints and muscles. Heat is known to relax tight muscles, improve circulation, and increase flexibility, and this microwaveable heating pad is reusable, washable, fragrance-free, and safe.

Tips to Teach your child to eat well

Take your child on a little field trip to the grocery store and look in the fruit and vegetable (produce) section.

Talk about the beautiful colors. You may put together a meal based on assorted colored foods that look nice together. For instance; sweet red peppers, light green cucumbers, and crunchy orange carrots may complement a piece of chicken or fish.

As you wash and then cut the veggies you may think about arranging them in the shape of a smiley face or something else that appeals to your child. For toddlers, crunchy foods should be cut into small pieces or chopped.

Make meal time pleasant. Offer healthy foods and keep desserts out of the house except for maybe once a week. Talk with your child about the flavors of food and then vary the conversation and show interest in his/her thoughts. Try to relax and enjoy your own meal at the same time - playing the role model.

Save fruit for dessert. You can't teach a child to like something but you can offer choices. As your child matures his/her tastes for different foods will change and mature as well. You can help by offering a wide variety of colorful foods.

When a child has a minor tummy ache try heating up a Mouse heating pad, the perfect size for a little tummy, or a Maine Warmers' Bunny. Both make lovely get-well gifts -- without calories -- for children or adults.

and have several uses. Pediatricians often recommend heat to soothe an ear ache. Both of these Comforting Creatures can be frozen to help soothe childhood bumps and bruises.

Tips to help your child eat healthy and lose weight.

Your child may not want to lose weight, but you know that obesity puts him or her at risk for heart disease, Diabetes, and other illnesses. Here are a few tips that might help you help him or her.

Keep a journal with your child. Write down realistic goals for helping your child lose weight, but goal number one should be making good food choices to help feel better for a lifetime, not just for a few moments of pleasure. Have a conversation about it with your child about how positive changes in a healthy lifestyle can help him or her enjoy life more. Leave out the negative or any scolding. Keep it light and short, and know it will take time to achieve your goals.

You are the model. Model the behavior you would like to see your child mimic, and you will both feel better physically and mentally. Allow small amounts of treats. I read a sign on an ice cream stand once that said, "A Sundae once a month won't hurt you, but a month of Sundaes will."

Let your thinking – not your emotions - lead you. Become aware of the times when you reach for food to feel better. Find activities that you and your child like to do instead of eating.

Have fun. Go outside for a walk or hike together and guide the conversation to things your child enjoys. I had to demand that my two sons walk with me as they grew. They didn't want to go, but once we got out there they enjoyed it. Today they make healthy lifestyle choices that have kept their weight down and kept them in good physical condition. If you lecture or make it unpleasant then the child will balk at going again. Laugh, joke and praise. Ask your son or daughter what physical activities he/she would enjoy and try to incorporate them into your schedules as much as possible.

Educate yourself and your child. Learn what different foods do to help your body grow and perform at its best. Teach your child about these foods and you will be giving him or her information that will help make healthy life-long eating choices.

Feeling stressed or sad? Do not eat to make yourself feel better when you are feeling sad or stressed. In the end it will make you feel worse. Try some relaxation techniques to help you through difficult times.

Hunger is a natural side-effect of losing weight. Use Full Back Warmer, a microwave heating pad, on the abdomen for stomach discomfort, on the back, or around the shoulders to help relax tense muscles. If you know a kid or kid at heart who is making lifestyle changes you might consider a gift of a Al-The-Gator to provide comforting companionship and heat. It has no calories and lasts for years.