Despite food being one of the delicacies of adulthood, food times can often be a cause of major angst amongst young families. A combination of eating tactics, balanced diet and no external intervention can quickly return meal times into the daily highlight they ought to be.

• Eating by example: Show them the way to do it! Over time they will tend to follow what you are eating. It has been found that kids need to try some food types up to at least ten separate times before they acquire the taste of it: (We’re not talking oysters or broccoli!)

• Getting help is often NOT required: Child psychologists have often told me that when they see kids for some apparent eating disorder, they find there’s no problem with the kids, rather the hang up rests with parent. CHILL OUT! Stand back and don’t make an issue out of eating.

• Balanced diet: A healthy diet includes the balance between proteins, good carbs and fats. Loads of fruit and vegetables will provide them (and you) with essential fibre.

• Create a weekly menu together. This way the kids have ownership of the meal and can anticipate what to expect.

• Get the kids to help with the food preparation. Ownership of the meal assists with their acceptance and appreciation of their creation.

• Sneak in the essential food groups. I’ve been known to slip in silken tofu in cream sauces and grated zucchini and mashed eggplant in bolognaise. Over time when they say they loved that meal I tell them what I did. Another food group mastered!

• Regular eating times. Avoid filling them up after school with too many snacks as this can result in the kids being too full for dinner.

• Encouragement. At least if they have a go that’s a win.

• Rewards and deals. To the child psychologist, this should probably be read as “encouragement”, but hey we all do it! Dangle the carrot of dessert when they’re sitting down to a veggie stir fry. Do a deal with them, look at it as introducing negotiation skills – when they’re chasing ice-cream it’s amazing what they’ll do.

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