What's For Dinner Mum?

Sick of tearing your hair out at 5 o’clock each day as dinner time swings around again? You’re not alone, this is the time that mums around Australia are tearing around the house, getting school bags unpacked, bathing kids, feeding babies and trying desperately to get something healthy and nutritious on the table. Wait...we forgot the most important criteria for dinner, it has to be kid friendly to prevent it being a projectile aimed at your crisp white walls or slid under the table for Rover to eat.
So how on earth do mums manage to do it? We asked around to get some great tips to create a dinner time scenario that isn’t quite so hectic.

Teach your children why. This is an opportunity to teach your child why you have chosen to give them the foods that you have prepared their meal with. Tell them how good the cheese in their cheese and crackers is for their teeth and bones, or how eating their carrots will help give them great eyesight.

Don’t be put off by food rejection. Research shows that parents may need to offer a certain food up to 10 times before a child will choose to eat it. However, around half of parents only persist two or three times before giving up on that particular food altogether! So be persistent!

Be a good food role model. This one is simple, if you’re not eating your broccoli, why should they?! Set a good example by eating a variety of foods too. Show them that trying new things is an exciting part of eating and not something to be afraid of.
Make the Time.  A big contributor to the stress around mealtime...is time...or lack of it!!  Try to plan ahead, precook and freeze or refrigerate meals and choose dishes that are straight forward and quick to prepare. 

Involve them! We know that it’s not practical to have the kids in the kitchen every night, but it is important to show them how food is prepared. Involve them by shopping and cooking a meal together. It’s about educating and empowering your children with knowledge about food and healthy attitudes which they will carry through life.  There’s lots of great learning to be done through cooking too – with measuring, reading recipes and learning about different tastes. So don’t tell them off for licking the spoon!