You might love whole grains and leafy greens, but getting your kids to show the same enthusiasm toward a healthy diet can be tricky. To encourage a well-balanced diet for kids, here are three healthy eating activities for preschoolers.

Encourage healthy eating

Getting your preschooler to eat a healthy meal is all about making it fun. Try these tips to make healthy food exciting:

1. Play with shapes

A healthy sandwich is much more fun to eat if it’s in the shape of your child’s favorite animal, an airplane, or even a simple heart! You can also easily slice fruit like watermelon  into entertaining shapes like stars. Any cookie-cutter will do the trick!

2. Make it finger-food friendly

Your child might not always eat all of their lunch or dinner, but they devour their snacks, right? While snacks are fun (we love them, too), they don’t have the complete nutrition a balanced meal does. Get your kids to eat their lunch by cutting their sandwiches into smaller pieces and include fruits and veggies that are also cut into small pieces, rather than a whole fruit. Breaking their meal into bite-sized servings makes them  seem less intimidating and promotes portion control. Finger foods make a meal appear like snacking, allowing you to sneak in all the nutrients they need.

3. Bento Box-it-Up

A bento box, a Japanese single-portion box, is perfect for school lunches. Bento boxes are made of small, separated compartments that are ideal for tiny fingers. They provide the perfect opportunity for variety in the meal while keeping portion sizes healthy. Try offering a variety of flavors and textures, such as boiled eggs, sliced grapes, berries, cubed chicken breast, bite-sized sandwiches, and more. You can find bento boxes online for your child and yourself!

4. Make mealtime fun

Getting  your toddler or preschooler to sit down for a full meal may be hard, but if you make it fun, they’re more likely to stick around! Ask your little ones to demonstrate how a dinosaur would eat something on their plate or give them unique utensils, such as a straw, to try and eat with. The goal is to make mealtime fun instead of a fight.

Healthy eating for preschoolers and toddlers is important

If getting your child to eat healthy is like pulling teeth, don’t be discouraged. You’re setting them up for a healthier lifestyle in the future every time you offer nutritious foods.

Are you looking for delicious and refreshing summer drinks without sugar? Check out these sugar-free recipes.