Parenting in France: 5 tips to make children eat everything
Created: 09/23/2022, 2:00 p.m
By: Judith Brown
The French are not only known for their good food, but also for their special upbringing.
Children there are used to food from an early age.
When it comes to education, France is considered a pioneer country.
And this despite the fact that parents were even allowed to hit their children there until recently.
Allegedly, French children are said to show fewer behavioral disorders due to their upbringing.
In addition, children from France seem to have a very balanced diet.
This is also confirmed by the numbers: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Germany's neighboring country has the fewest overweight children.
What reasons could play a role in this.
Parenting in France: 5 tips to make children eat everything
Parents in France know well how to make food tasty for children.
© Sorapop Udomsri/IMAGO
According to
Elle Online
, it's the job of parents to teach their kids about healthy eating.
The French use a mix of rules, time and creativity to introduce the little ones to the culinary delights.
Even if it costs time and nerves at the beginning, the effort is obviously worth it.
Other parents can also adopt the following five tricks from French parents:
Don't miss anything: You can find everything to do with health in the regular newsletter from our partner 24vita.de.
Decorate the table attractively: Even if there is often a lack of time and leisure in everyday life, you should still ensure a beautifully set table.
Children often like things colorful and playful.
If you put a vase of flowers on the table and have pretty serviettes ready, you have already created a good basis for a pleasant get-together at the table.
Because in France, meals are really celebrated.
Also, get your child involved by letting them help with setting the table and decorating it.
Serve several courses: Little French people are served several courses at daycare and school, as well as at home when the family eats together.
Because in France, eating means one thing above all: being together.
Social life takes place at the dining table.
Children are not only allowed to enjoy the already prepared meals.
Instead, they are also introduced to cooking at an early age by helping their parents in the kitchen with age-appropriate tasks during preparation.
They get to know different tastes and their curiosity about food grows automatically.
Let them try it several times: Many parents are certainly familiar with the situation when children reject one or more foods.
In these cases, French parents do not give up directly and remove the food from the menu.
Instead, they let their protégés taste the food over and over again.
They don't do this at the same moment the child refuses the food.
They simply try again later and on other occasions.
On average, parents in France let their children taste food about eight times as much.
Offer small and manageable portions: As French parents know, most children do not like mixed meals.
Therefore, you should also serve your children's food separately and preferably in small portions.
To do this, fill the food, such as carrots, in small bowls.
So it is clear for the little ones and often tastes better.
Instead of snacks, set highlights for meals: Unlike in Germany, the French tend to forego snacks and between meals.
That doesn't mean, however, that there are no sweets for the little ones.
They get such highlights, for example, as a small dessert after dinner.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.