Ah, the finicky habits of young children at the toddler age. What they like today, they won’t have anything to do with tomorrow. As a dental practice marketing specialist, I have learned from my clients the importance of preventive oral maintenance, and yet I have a child who flees from the toothbrush. However, my daily challenge is trying to convince my child why oatmeal and fruit for breakfast are much healthier than sugar-laced doughnuts. Are you, too, one of those parents who pleads with your child to eat healthy by offering a serving of vegetables only to get a lukewarm response in return? If you are, you may be interested in introducing your child to fresh, organic foods, which are not only healthier for your child, but many people claim that food grown and processed using organic methods taste better too. Read below for tips in helping your child make the transition to healthier fare.
One little trick that I learned is not to tell your child right away that they are eating organic foods, simply because “organic” might be a new, off-putting word for her. While you want your child to know that she is eating healthy, it might be better to wait until she decides that she enjoys eating organic food. There’s really no reason to verbally offer her an “organic” apple instead of just an apple. Chances are, at this young age, most toddlers would not be able to tell the difference in taste between a piece of organic fruit versus fruit that has been harvested in traditional methods using pesticides and chemicals.
Snacks are a great way to get your child enthusiastic about trying organic foods. Many suppliers of food and other organic goods, who recognize the advantages of kid-friendly food and dental marketing potential to advertise to kids, have designed a variety of healthy organic snacks using fun character shapes and colorful packaging to appeal to picky palates as well as products such as trendy shampoos, toothpaste and other toiletries. Many kids enjoy an outing to the grocery store, so you can get your child excited about eating organic foods if you let her help you shop where you can show her the variety of items she has to choose from. Children like to have a say in what they want to eat, and chances are that when they are given choices, they will eat all or most of their organic meals, though for a pickier eater, you might need to offer an organic cookie as a reward for finishing her meal!
These are just a few ways that are helpful in initiating your child to organic foods, but, of course, be creative with a gradual introduction as toddlers and preschoolers can be resistant to abrupt food changes. By encouraging an organic diet free of additives, preservatives and processed sugars for your child, you are helping to ensure overall healthy mental and physical development for her and less trips to the doctor or the dentist for dental consulting appointments. One final and important benefit about feeding your child organic food: many parents have claimed that their children were prone to fewer temper tantrums after switching to an organic diet…and who doesn’t want that?
