Home Remedies To Increase Your Child's Appetite

The significance of a healthy diet in kids can't be understated. However, it isn't easy to find a healthy diet that your child will enjoy eating. Besides, most parents face the issue of a lack of appetite in kids each day. In connection to that, some seek nutritional supplements to increase appetite, while others search online for the best remedy. Luckily, there are different appetite boosting ideas to try out at home.

Below are home remedies to help your child eat more:

1. Don’t skip breakfast

   Breakfast is an essential meal in your child's diet. It jump-starts your child's metabolism and prepares the baby's body for the day's activities. It also heats the baby's metabolism enabling it to burn calories better. It breaks the long night fast and boosts your child's appetite. But, this works best if you give them organic baby food. The reason being, such organic baby foods constitute different ingredients to give your baby a healthy diet. It's also suitable for picky eaters due to its various constituents.

2. Set pre-fixed meal timings

   Encourage a fixed eating schedule, and this will set hunger cues in your toddler's body. By so doing, your child will maintain their appetite, which will enable them to feed well. Moreover, make the meal times more enjoyable. Consider fun activities like storytelling or fun games, and this will make your baby look forward to their next meal. Babies can easily get distracted while eating, so switch off the TV to avoid disturbances.

3. Give small frequent meals

   Children require lots of energy to play and move around during the day. But, avoid serving too much food or pressurizing your child to eat. If your kid is a fussy eater, serve small frequent meals for this will arouse their appetite. Also, give light snacks in between meals. For instance, things like nuts are perfect for boosting appetite and also have protein building properties.

4. Include Zinc and iron-rich foods in the baby's diet

   Zinc is an essential mineral and necessary for many psychological functions in the body. It's vital for improving immunity, regulating antioxidant functions, growth, and development. Zinc deficiency can cause appetite loss, loss of weight, diarrhea, and increased vulnerability to infections. So, be sure to include zinc foods like pumpkin seeds, spinach, cashew nuts, bean, and mushrooms in your baby's diet.

   Moreover, iron deficiency can cause anemia and affect your baby's appetite. Include foods like spinach, eggs, and lentils, for they are rich in iron. Also, nuts, for example, almonds, cashews, walnuts, and dry fruits like dates and, figs are excellent for boosting appetite. You can as well give a smoothie to increase appetite.

5. Give water in the morning

   A glass of water is one of the best appetite boosting ideas. Give one in the morning and have the baby take more before meals. But, avoid giving water together with meals, it activates the digestive juices, which improves digestion and also boosts your baby's appetite. So, your baby will likely get starved and eat more.

6. Involve your child in food decisions

   Just like adults, kids also have food preferences. They may hate some foods and like others more. Give them alternatives for all meals and incorporate new foods with their meal of choice. Also, serve more of their favorite foods, and this can make your child look forward to mealtime and even eat more.

Take home

Although most parents prefer supplements to boost appetite in kids, some home remedies work excellently. Consider the appetite boosting ideas discussed earlier and watch your child feel hungry often. But, if your toddler refuses to eat anything, consult your doctor, they may be suffering from other ailments.