For parents, finding foods that your child enjoys to eat can be difficult.
And although it's easy to give them a diet of freezer staples such as chicken nuggets and chips, it's not always healthy and can be a struggle for parents who have to cook separate meals for different family members.
According to researchers almost nine out of 10 children under five (86%) are not getting their five a day due to being "fussy eaters".
As well as this, Hull Live reports that 25% of parents are reluctant to try new meals, only focusing on what they know they like.
With one in three UK parents continually feeding their child “English” food it means many children’s diets lack in “exotic” flavours and spices.
For Aisha, the halal baby food brand, launched the study to celebrate the release of the company’s nutritionist approved list of ‘foods to try before you’re 5’.
It tells parents some of the ingredients that young people should try, to combat fussiness and make sure they can enjoy plenty of nutrient-rich meals.
For Aisha's dietitian, Priya Tew, said: "Having a child who is fussy with their eating can bring so much stress into mealtimes. Feeding your little one can feel like a huge responsibility; they grow quickly, so it’s important that their diet provides them with all the nutrients they need.
"Keep offering the foods that children are not eating - exposure really is key, especially with spicier foods that children won’t be as used to. Put small amounts of some of those foods onto their plate at each mealtime. This will encourage your little one to touch, smell, see, and eventually taste the foods.
"Starting with savoury meals and a vegetable first approach can help build healthy eating habits, it’s vital that little ones gain maximum nutrition and flavour from every tiny mouthful, and that we encourage them to embrace, explore and taste new flavours."
Top 20 foods to give your child before they turn five
The foods on the list are:
- Tomatoes
- Chickpeas
- Ginger
- Coconut
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Butternut Squash
- Paprika
- Parsnip
- Coriander
- Dates
- Lentils
- Mint
- Mango
- Sweetcorn
- Garlic
- Sweet Potato
- Onions
- Apricot
- Cumin
For Aisha hopes that this list, along with the campaign, will help parents to know what to feed their children so that they can try different flavours and ingredients from an early age.
Negative food habits can set in from early childhood, so parents should try to create recipes that have a variety of exotic natural ingredients.
For Aisha says its goal is to give parents the confidence to feed their children new things that they'll enjoy and want to eat more of. You can buy For Aisha products in most good UK supermarkets.
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