Fun ways to get my 4 year old to eat more healthily

[truelips]

All she seems to like to eat is the usual unhealthy snacks like crisps, biscuits and chocolate... I worry about her health as she gets older. Do any fellow parents out there have any tips to get their kids to eat more healthily. She seems to like white foods mainly like rice, yam, noodles, potato, bread 🥖 she used to like eating chicken 🐔 etc but she has been turning her nose up at meat for awhile. She takes vitamins with her milk in the mornings but I don't want to rely on just that, she is actually the tallest in her group at nursery but that could be just genetics 🧬... my other two are much younger I'm not worrying about them just yet.

Honestly the easiest way is not to buy things and offer fruit and veg as snacks. You can buy kits to cut them into different shapes. My dd prefers carrot rounds with an animal shape cut out for example rather than carrot sticks. And you could switch to wholewheat options without saying anything.

Chop stuff up.
Present things in small boxes or bags.
Use cutters to make things look cute.

I'd just stop giving her the things you don't want her to have though.

I would actually think about your younger kids - your oldest probably eats like this because it’s what she’s used to. Never introduce junk and they won’t know any different.

Diy pizza, tortilla, pasta sauce and then get the kids to do the toppings before the oven.

Healthy versions of junk food. Homemade burgers etc.

Stuff to dip in yoghut dip.

Mine love tasty veg soup if there is toast to dip.

Things on sticks, kebabs etc

Grated carrot can be hidden in wraps and sauces or just eaten on its own.

Honestly your right, my daughter started going off a varied diet in 2021 when she was over 2, but personal circumstances happened where I could not look after her so she was under her grandma's care and grandma most of given into her a lot and that's where it kinda snowballed unfortunately.

Get rid of all the junk food. It it’s not there she cannot eat it !

Just tell her that she can only have whatever at Grandma's house.

I've heard that the best way to do it is to make dinner, put it down in front of them and just say "here is your dinner, enjoy" and then give them space to explore. Apparently when you start saying "yum, chicken nuggets" and commenting on food it causes associations good or bad. We have a fussy child, I have yet to try this, but i've found she eats things at school she never would at home, and she does best with food when i totally ignore her when she is eating (i'll be "busy" in the kitchen giving her space to figure her food out). It is very frustrating when all they want is pasta/chicken nuggets/cheese, and we are in the thick of it. Hopefully just a phase!