Eating is a new experience for children. Don’t be

Eating is a new experience for children. Don’t be surprised if at first a child is cautious and curious, plays with food, is reluctant to try new foods and rebels when forced to eat. Try to be patient and relax as children go through this difficult period.

Snacks are not always bad for children. Nutritious snack foods can help children obtain required nutrients. Since children have smaller stomachs than adults, serving three small meals with a nourishing snack in between each meal may be more appropriate for children than serving three large meals. -

Frequent snacking may contribute to tooth decay. Clean children’s teeth each day and check with a dentist about the need for fluoride.

Here are some mealtime tips:

• Seat children at a table for meals and snacks ; and discourage them from eating while walking or standing.

• Cover the floor, directly under a child’s seat, with paper, vinyl or plastic.

• Purchase a spoon or fork with a short, straight, broad, solid handle; the spoon should have a wide mouth and the fork should have blunt tines. Children will begin to feed themselves with a spoon and will learn to use a fork later. ,

• Young children should use unbreakable, bowl-shaped dishes when they first start to feed themselves.

• Place food at the level of a child’s stomach, where it is less tiring for a child to reach.

• Encourage finger feeding by serving meat, vegetables, bread and cheese in julienne strips or finger sandwiches, which are easy to handle.

• Cut all foods for children except those which can be easily handled by a child.

• Encourage children to try at least one bite of a new food. If after one bit a child rejects it, reintroduce the food later.

The following kid-pleasing recipes are from Judy Burke, director of food service for Rappahannock County Public Schools. They are nutritious and should appeal to the teens and adults in your family as well as the children.