happy meals

Engaging kids in the enjoyment of good food from an early age, as well as teaching table manners will help to make meal times more enjoyable for everyone concerned.  Creating a sense of togetherness as well as a happy, relaxed approach to eating is essential not only for health and vitality, but also for confidence and life skills.

meal time tips  

Lead by example and eat as a family group whenever possible.  Children quickly learn and respond when taught how to conduct themselves at the dinner table

Remove distractions and never put your children in front of the television to eat.  Meal times spent with the family help children to develop their listening and conversational skills

Fussy eating habits develop early in life so where possible encourage children to eat the food you do. When it comes to eating away from home or in a restaurant they won’t feel so scared of eating food they haven’t tried before

Small knives and forks are best for small hands, adult sized cutlery makes eating difficult for children

Make meals fun by adding variety.  Try new foods and recipes and involve the children in the preparation (and clean-up) whenever possible.  Serve food in fun ways and limit the portions to a manageable size for their appetite

Picnics are a great excuse to get out of the house for relaxed meals with family and friends. Set up a picnic ‘kit’ and fill it with non-breakable, lightweight essentials and remember to keep it clean and well stocked