How likely is it that your child will eat sprouts (or any of the Christmas dinner) this Christmas?   

It really isn’t surprising that children dislike sprouts and, on the whole, struggle to eat vegetables, especially green leafy ones. 

They naturally have a preference for sweet foods and this preference has its roots in our cave man days. It’s a fascinating story! 

Children learnt from their parents as they went gathering food that soft, colourful and sweet fruits were not only easy to eat but gave them a quick burst of energy and most importantly were most likely to be safe to eat. 

In contrast, green plants which had a bitter taste were more likely to be poisonous and they learned to stay clear. 

This learned behaviour has stuck with us as we have evolved and means that, even today, there is a fear of and reluctance to eat green vegetables which, most often, are bitter. 

There is good news! We can help them get over this fear and support them to develop a love of vegetables and other foods using a variety of techniques both at and away from the table. 

If you’d like some help with this, why not book in for a one-hour mealtime support session with me for the new year and we’ll work out an action plan which is going to work for you and your child.