Among the seafood types, fish is one of the most nutritious for kids. Apart from having high-quality protein, vitamins, as well as minerals, fish is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. One such Omega-3 fatty acid would be Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA; as it has properties that are essential for a child's developing brain. Additionally, some fish species are high in Vitamin D content, which is important for bone and muscle health. Which is why, babies should be started on fish as soon as they are able to eat solid food.
One essential thing to take note of is that children need to eat well-balanced meals to grow well. However, most children in Singapore are picky eaters and may be apprehensive about eating something new such as seafood for the first time. Fortunately, we have some tips to help you get your child started.
How to Introduce Fish and Other Seafood Types to Your Kid’s Meal
Fish has long been a mainstay of the human diet, and fish-dependent nations such as the Japanese, Chinese, and Greeks have shown reduced incidences of heart disease. However, persuading children to eat fish might be difficult, especially when it is something new to their palate, and what ensues is a messy effort of having to cajole your kid to open his or her mouth to eat.
This is the kind of effort that all parents would want to avoid when feeding their kids. The most important thing to note when introducing your children to new food items such as seafood, especially when it is such a popular food type here in Singapore, is to do it in a fun and gradual manner. Here are some ideas for getting your kids to eat fish and other types of seafood.
Debone Everything
Finding bones in your serving of fish is not amusing, and it can prove to be a choking hazard for little kids. However, you can be assured that the chore of deboning is not necessary as all of the items in All Big Frozen Food’s processed range have been deboned and cleaned for your convenience.
Get Them Involved
Giving your kids a sense of control over their meals might make them a little more enthusiastic when it comes to eating fish or seafood. Give them the opportunity to help create meal plans as well as shop for ingredients when the family is out on a grocery trip. If you are shopping for frozen seafood online, you can let them help pick out some of the more popular items. Some of these highly favoured seafood items here in Singapore include the likes of Salmon Fillet, Breaded Crab Claw, Cuttlefish Ball, and Thai Fish Cake.
During the preparation of meals, get your kids to help out in the kitchen. This process is great for family bonding, and at the same time gives your kids the opportunity to decide what they want to eat, and how they want it to be prepared. With the “power” to decide, your kids will be more inclined to try, and hopefully, this will make them like eating fish and other seafood types.
Make Eating Fish and Seafood a Fun Activity
Make eating fish and other seafood types more appealing by doing the following. Cut or slice fish into bite-sized portions and grill them on sticks as lollipops, or let your kids make their own fish burgers or fish tacos by letting them pick out the ingredients from a “buffet” spread. For younger children, making a congee with salmon fillet is a good way to serve fish as a first food for babies.
Keep Trying and Never Give Up
To have your kids readily eating fish or seafood does not happen overnight. Being willing to experiment with various food types and preparation styles is necessary, if you want to place seafood on your kids’ plate. It is also vital that you persevere, just keep serving seafood to them in a variety of ways and flavours and see what works. The most important thing however, is to have seafood on your own plate. Kids will model the actions of adults, so lead by example and eat the food items you want your kids to eat.
To make things easier, you might want to consider starting with finger foods. These are easy to prepare, and with a dipping sauce such as tomato ketchup, your kids will hardly need any convincing to pick up a cuttlefish ball or two. Get in touch with us today and order from our wide selection of tasty finger food items and have it delivered right to your doorstep. Your efforts to make your kids eat fish and other seafood will no longer be a chore!
