Some parents are amazed when we tell them how much their child eats at school. “Are you sure?” they ask. “My child barely eats at home!”

Here are 5 tips we have for parents…

1. Serve meals when your child is hungry! Don’t give your child a big snack, and then expect him or her to eat a full meal. They may simply not be hungry.  At preschool, after a morning of stimulation, the children are starving and chop down their food eagerly.

2. Don’t offer an alternative right away. Some parents have a bottle of milk waiting for the child if they don’t eat their meal. Your child knows this, and there is no motivation to fill their tummies.

3. Cook food your child will enjoy. If they are trying new foods, include this with food you know they like.

4. Eating is an experience not just for nutrition. Eat as a family or in a group. This makes meal time more enjoyable for the children. At school, the children enjoy eating snack and lunch in a group, chatting with their friends.

5. Allow them to be part of the preparation of the food. Of course not all the time, but sometimes let them be involved in simple tasks like chopping the vegetables, or even serving the food.      

Liane Shaw, Director of Play