A mum-of-three has revealed her secret hack to get her fussy kids eating healthy – and it’s surprisingly simple.
Petra Williams says mealtimes used to be a nightmare with her children only touching “safe foods” like plain pasta and cheese.
She has turned things around in her household with a string of clever tricks.
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Instead of giving in to plain pasta and cheese on repeat, the 36-year-old turned mealtimes into a game, as reported by What’s The Jam.
She cuts sandwiches into fun shapes, pops fruit into jelly, and even sneaks hidden veg into sauces so the kids don’t notice.
She said: “I like to plan ahead for their lunch boxes so there’s always variety during the week.
“If they would like pasta and sauce or soup, I’ll prepare some in advance, and we also enjoy baking together on the weekend, so they can take freshly made treats with their packed lunch.
“For my youngest son, vegetables are a real challenge and have to be completely hidden in food, so I make pasta sauces with veg blended in until smooth – that way he still gets the goodness while enjoying one of his favourite meals.”
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The mum, from Newcastle, says the trick is to make food look fun while quietly packing in all the good stuff.
She’s come up with endless ways to make healthy eating feel exciting instead of a chore – from colourful fruit kebabs to ice cubes filled with berries.
And her clever approach means her children now look forward to their lunchboxes instead of turning their noses up at them.
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Speaking to Vitabiotics, Petra said: “I make healthier foods more appealing to my children by making them look fun.
“I always cut sandwiches into shapes or use sandwich stamps. I cut fruit into shapes or make fruit kebabs or platters. If I make a fruit platter, I will make a pattern or a shape of something they love.
“I also put fruit inside jelly for them to eat and fruit inside ice cubes for their drinks.
“I have lots of shapes and cutters to make food look fun and appealing, and I use character food picks for them to pick up their fruit. I also use fresh fruit to make sorbets and ice cream for them, too.”
Experts say her playful tricks are spot on – with kids being far more likely to try food if it looks fun or familiar.
Now, with the school term in full swing, Petra is urging other parents to give her hacks a try – and says the key is planning ahead, keeping things routine and adding little surprises to keep kids interested.
She said: “My children are not a fan of surprise food as they like to know what they’re having.
“Routine is key with them, and when I’m planning their lunchboxes for the week, I ask them what they would like for each day and then ask them what snacks and fruit they would like.
“I will, however, put in little surprises each day that I know they will love, like snacks or treats.
“Stick to things they like in a lunchbox and get creative with those things so your child doesn’t become bored. Lunchboxes are not the time to try new foods.
“You have a better chance of them trying new things at home. Stick to what they love, be creative, and think outside the box.
“It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else if your child likes food in certain ways that are not conventional.”
