Healthy eating for kids – parents’ advice!

Getting your kids into healthy eating habits early on is great, so we asked parents to contribute advice on the topic for our Kids & Family Guide. We asked what worked for them… and what didn’t!

How do you get your children to eat certain foods, or give them a good attitude towards food in general?

“We eat with them, show them that we are enjoying certain foods, and encourage them to try at least one bite of a new food. Then we allow them to decide whether they want to eat more of it.”

– Anusha

“We tried to offer our girls a variety of foods from a young age, which has helped them become adventurous eaters. If they’re unsure about something, I’ll eat it myself to show them it’s safe and enjoyable. Eventually, they want to try it too. We focus on making mealtime positive and low-pressure, letting them explore different tastes and textures at their own pace. It’s also important to us not to force them to eat, so they develop a healthy relationship with food.”

– Kaori

“My kids from a young age have loved veggies and meat. They have been ‘clean eaters’ as I introduced veggies from a very early age, including carrot and steamed broccoli. To this day, they love eating them. I feel that kids see and follow, so my husband and I both eat plenty of fruit and veggies.”

– Sumiti

“As a family, our regular meals are healthy and balanced. Funnily enough, that’s what she gravitates towards even when she has other choices.”

– Geeta

“Our kids have both been pretty good, but from an early age it was obvious our son had an issue with ‘slimy’ or ‘wet’ foods. Our daughter, meanwhile, couldn’t stand the smell of fish or fish sauce!

When we were living in Tokyo, I introduced a ‘plate free’ and ‘cutlery-free’ meal. I would put the food on a plastic table cloth and we ate with our hands and mouths. I would also write their name in ketchup on the table at their seat. They used to eat three times more when we had dinners like this. (One time, my son’s posh eight-year-old friend who always went to school wearing a bow-tie asked if we were poor as we didn’t have any plates, haha!)

To be fair, when my husband cooks on the braai, the kids will eat anything without knowing what it actually is! As they get older, they’re getting even more adventurous. A friend of ours dared our son to eat durian and he surprised us by accepting it… and eating it!

I used to helicopter-parent their eating, but I find that the more I relax, the more willing they are to be adventurous. I try not to make a big deal out of that.

– Olga

Balance and moderation! There is no good or bad food, just some food you typically eat more of than others for a balanced diet. She loves to try new food, so it’s never been much of an issue. We’ve never deprived her of sweets, but we have always positively reinforced fruits and vegetables.

Nutrition Notes – healthy eating for kids

Another one of the contributors to our Kids & Family Guide 2025 was KATARINA, who works as a nutrition coach. Here, she shares six thoughts on the topic of children and eating.

#1 Be a good role model for your children. Shop together for healthy foods and eat healthy foods as a family.

#2 Cook together. You’ll be amazed what children will eat if they make it themselves!

#3 Don’t. Give. Up. This is a big one! Some parents brand their kids as never being able to eat vegetables, so they stop offering healthy foods, and the children end up believing what their parents say and do. But children can change, and taste buds change. If you keep offering a variety of vegetables, they eventually will eat them too. My son used to be a very picky eater and now has blossomed into someone that sometimes asks for broccoli for breakfast – no joke. You know the marketing mantra of needing to see a commercial eight times to remember it? It’s like children and vegetables. Sometimes children need to be offered a food many times before the flood gates suddenly open.

#4 Cook food with flavour. Try to shop organic and make things from scratch. I also make sure there is always a little salt and fat (butter or olive oil) for flavour when cooking as this makes food taste good and helps absorb certain vitamins. And children need good healthy fats for energy and growth. I’m amazed when I see really bland and under-seasoned food served to kids as it simply doesn’t taste good. If you wouldn’t eat it, your children probably won’t touch it either!

#5 Don’t resort to sneaking in healthy foods and hoping your child doesn’t find out, because if they do, they will lose trust in the food you serve. I believe being honest and straightforward is best, and communicating to children what they’re eating and why eating certain foods are good for their body, which is why we eat them.

#6 Remain relaxed – don’t push too hard or make eating emotional. Maintain eating as a pleasurable activity for all. Some calm music at mealtimes can help!

This article on healthy eating for kids first appeared in Expat Living’s Kids & Family Guide. Get the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!

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