TORONTO -- For parents struggling to find something their picky eater is willing to eat, one Canadian professor suggests getting your child involved in the meal prep could help.
Jess Haines, a professor in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph, said research shows that children of all ages can benefit from helping the family in the kitchen.
鈥淥ur research has found that when kids are involved in the food prep, they are much more likely to eat the food that鈥檚 made,鈥� Haines said in a news release. 鈥淕etting them engaged gets them excited to try the meal.鈥�
鈥淲hen kids are labelled 鈥榩icky eaters,鈥� food can often become a source of struggle and a battleground of parents trying to maintain authority and kids trying to establish independence, but when you work together on a meal, you鈥檙e on the same side. It dissolves the battle lines. It鈥檚 not about 鈥榚at what I made.鈥� It becomes 鈥榳e made this together.鈥欌��
Haines recently completed a study using the (GFHS), which showed that children who are directly involved in the meal prep and shopping were less likely to be fussy when it comes time to eat.
The GFHS is a long-term study of families designed study families over several years that would provide insight into good habits relating to healthy eating, physical activity, sleep and screen time, to name a few.
Haines added that it鈥檚 never too early for a child to help out.
鈥淟ittle hands can do a lot in the kitchen,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hroughout our research in the GFHS, we have found lots of tasks young kids like to do. They are good at washing vegetables, rinsing and spinning lettuce for salad, cleaning fruit, stirring batters and doughs. There are many ways they can help.鈥�
Haines also suggested getting kids involved in lunch prep and short shopping trips may also help with fussy eaters.
