A NUTRITIONIST has revealed why parents should give their kids dessert with every meal.
Child food expert Sarah Almond Bushel says that fussy children will change their eating habits when food is an enjoyable experience.
GettyA nutritionist says kids should have dessert with every meal[/caption]
It comes after a new poll carried out by TUI BLUE revealed that three-quarters of parents (72 per cent) say their kids are fussy eaters.
Sarah Almond Bushell, the child nutritionist whose tips can be found on the TUI BLUE App said: “Children change their eating habits when food is an enjoyable experience and helping them use all their senses is really important.
“Eating shouldn’t be a chore and repeatedly encouraging experimentation through discovery and play and involving kids in their food choices is the key to expanding picky palettes.”
And she says one way of combatting kids’ fussiness is to let them have dessert with every meal.
Sarah explained: While 41 per cent of parents use sweet treats to encourage adventurous eating, it’s better to make dessert a normal part of every meal rather than a reward for kids after cleaning their plates.
“In other words, let them loose on the dessert buffet!”
When it comes to making changes, kids are willing to try something new, but they aren’t willing to do it alone.
The study found that over 1 in 5 (21 per cent) of children believe making food with their parents would encourage them to taste new foods, with 17 per cent willing to try something different if their parents dressed up in a funny costume whilst serving it.
Some foods remain firmly on the no-go list however, as mushrooms are voted the top hated vegetable by kids, closely followed by Brussels sprouts, broccoli and avocado.
Carrots, potatoes and sweetcorn top the list of the favourite vegetable options.
The study shows that family holidays can actually inspire kids to shake up their usual food choices.
Over two-thirds of the children polled (68 per cent) enjoy trying new cuisines when given the chance, with spring rolls, paella and avocado being the most common foods kids have tried for the first time whilst on holiday, and one in five have even braved snails.