5 Ways to Make Food More Fun

1. Focus on Color.

Not only are bright, colorful foods naturally more appealing to children, but they’re also better for them. Eating a rainbow a day will help your child’s body get the wide variety of nutrients that it needs to grow strong and healthy. And it’s fun.

Make a game out of it: see who can eat a rainbow first each day.

Try purchasing different colors of more ordinary foods: purple cauliflower, yellow tomatoes or blood oranges.

2. Maximize Their Interests

What is your child’s current obsession? Incorporate that into their food.

For some children it is geography. He loves learning about different countries and cultures.

3. Use Fun Names.

Though it might seem silly to the child-less adults out there, calling food by crazy names can instantly change the attitude about a new food for someone under the age of 8.

Teach the children the proper names of fruits and vegetables, but also have fun calling food by fun or silly names.

For example: Broccoli is “baby trees.” Milk is referred to as “delicious.”

4. Serve it Differently

A change in presentation can make all the difference, and doesn’t take much extra time.

Tired of sliced pears or apple wedges? Make fruit kebabs instead. Sticks filled with cubes of brightly colored fruit are always fun. Include a healthy dip option as well, such as yogurt. Kids love to dip!

5. Involve Them in Food Selection and Prep

I’m one of the first to admit how much I dislike taking my kids to the grocery store. But taking young kids in grocery shopping and involving them in the food preparation process are both important ways to teach them about good food choices and make food more fun.

Personally I can only handle bringing one child at a time on a trip, but when I do, I like to keep them involved in the process. I’ll let them pick one or two new things each trip that they think they would like to try.

With younger kids, point out the names of the produce. Use produce to practice colors since there are so many different colors and types. With older children you can talk to them about why a certain fruit or vegetable is good for you in a non-threatening way. (i.e. carrots are good for your eyes). Appeal to their developing reasoning skills.

Involving children in food selection and preparation gives children an opportunity to see the process of making food and spend time with you, and that definitely makes things fun (although often messy too).