Food’s ready! The survival manual for parents

Don’t panic! This period is transitory and even has a name: food neophobia. The child asserts himself and shows that he is a person in his own right. Nothing unusual then 😉

This interminable period will be characterised by numerous refusals. Colours, textures and mixtures will not please them and any attempt to negotiate will end in failure. Insisting, scolding, punishing, getting angry will only add fuel to the fire. So how do you deal with that dirty little ... your little treasure, who makes your days so unforgettable?

Your children will never allow themselves to starve. This helps you to distance yourself from their refusals. They aren't eating? It's because they’re not hungry. Avoid giving them only their favourite meals or desserts so that they at least have something in their stomach. Your little one are sharp, they will quickly understand the trick.

Taste is a learning process that takes time. Unfortunately, this kit is not provided at birth. It's a long process. Your little angel will indeed be more attracted to simple carbohydrates such as sweets, biscuits and croissants, which they will eat without a second thought, rather than fish, beetroot or leeks. So give them a small quantity of different vegetables every day at lunch and dinner: half a green bean, two slices of carrot, three peas. They will end up eating them, thanks to their survivor side. Then increase the portions very, very, very gradually.

Eat the same foods as your little angel. There is no point in feeding them vegetables or fish if you are eating a hamburger next to them. By imitation, they will do as you do.

Involve them in the preparation of meals. Go shopping with your children, let them touch the ingredients. At home, in the form of a game, let them smell spices blindfolded so that they recognise the aromas: vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin ... to awaken all their senses and make them want to discover and broaden their taste palette and sense of smell. Savoury or sweet, the important thing is that it is homemade. Touch, smell, taste, all of it!

Ask them to serve themselves like big children. You’ll be surprised by the quantities. There is only one rule: they must eat what is on the plate. Empower them and trust them.

May the cunning be with you! You will soon realise that a vegetable cleverly hidden in a mash, or mixed into a shepherd's pie, will go down a treat. You will master the art of camouflage like no other. Try the chocolate beetroot cake. A treat, slipped in unnoticed ... or the courgette cake. They will enjoy themselves while not noticing anything.

Don't skip steps! You have to coax and cajole your child with a lot of finesse and patience. After concealment comes the step of calculated stripping. Gradually introduce the much-dreaded vegetable here and there in a dish that they love, but in homeopathic quantities. Spaghetti Bolognese? Carefully slip in a few tiny pieces of courgette or carrot or aubergine. You'll see, it works! Increase the dose once their eyes are no longer sending panic signals to the brain.

Does the mere sight of a sweet potato scare them away? Turn them into oven chips with herbs (thyme, oregano, etc.) It's delish, like the young ones say ... Oven-roasted vegetables are generally more popular.

Bonus: One last tip for the road: never ever reward your child with food. This is a good way of building an unhealthy relationship with food. Avoid the reflex: "If you're good, you get a treat."

Don't worry, we always survive these experiences, during which our patience is tested to the limit.