Sheila Sim's 9-month-old daughter eating broccoli is a must watch

Singaporean actress-model Sheila Sim recently shared an adorable video of her 9-month-old daughter devouring broccoli — a sight to behold as most parents can only wish to see their kids wiping greens off a plate!

But how did she do it?

Well, Sheila shared her secret with her followers and it is a practical tip that will come in handy for parents who often struggle to convert their picky eaters into healthy chompers. 

Sheila Sim's nine-month-old now loves broccoli!

The actress shared the cute video on Instagram where her daughter is seen holding on to a broccoli and then chomping on it like a champ. She clearly needs no help and the little one knows what she's doing and loving it too!

But this wasn't always the case with Layla. In another video a few months ago, she couldn't even stand the smell of the vegetable. Her head could be seen wobbling as she attempted to bring the broccoli close to her mouth, but she immediately recoiled because of its smell. 

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So how did Sheila successfully convert Layla into a broccoli lover? Well, the answer is simple: patience and persistence. 

Sim continued to feed Layla the greens, even though she rejected it initially. This led the little one to give it a few more shots before she developed a liking for it. Well done, mama!

This time tested technique truly is the backbone of getting children to become healthy eaters. But broccoli in particular can be a tricky one to get used to. Which is why you must explain its many benefits to your little one and also try the other techniques we list below. 

6 broccoli benefits for baby

You can introduce broccoli as soon as your baby is ready to start solids. This is generally around six months of age. Broccoli, as you may know, is a nutritional powerhouse and a one-stop shop for vitamins and minerals that your baby needs. It is rich in vitamins A, C, K, B6 and folate and comes loaded with iron and zinc, as well. 

Here's why your baby needs broccoli

• It is rich in calcium and aids in the growth and development of your baby's bones and teeth.
• It has vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant and helps to boost your developing your child's immune system.
• They are high in Omega 3. They help babies with inflammation and allergic reactions.
• Broccolis are rich in protein and iron that aid in the treatment of anaemia in infants.
• The vitamin K in broccoli will help in developing the child's memory.
• The fibre present in broccoli will help avoid constipation and will facilitate good bowel movement. 

ALSO READ: Woman shares a clever viral hack that stops her kids from eating junk

How to make your kids love new food

If you're finding it hard to get your children to eat not only broccoli but other vegetables, a new scientific study may have the answer.

As part of the study, researchers doubled the amount of corn and broccoli on children's plates served at a meal, from 60 to 120 grams. The results were astonishing.

Experts found that kids ate 68 per cent more vegetables on their plate, which is around 21 grams extra. But, they have also highlighted one potential problem with doubling the vegetable portions, which is it may increase wastage if they don't eat it. 

Sometimes we try to season the vegetables thinking that it may appease our kid's taste buds. But, the study highlighted that seasoning the veggies with butter and salt does not affect the children's consumption rates.  

So try the following tricks to feed your babies greens, specifically broccoli.

Keep serving a new food multiple times

It is important for your kids to understand the taste of the food. So you may need to serve a new food multiple times before they learn to accept it. It is okay if they reject them. But be persistent till they actually dig into it.

If your child rejects the taste of a new food like broccoli for the first time, you shouldn't stop serving the food to them. Sociologist Dina Rose says that kids need to taste a new food somewhere between 10 and 15 times before they'll finally accept it.

ALSO READ: Nutrition for kids: Which vitamins are essential for children?

Invite them to taste the food

Dr Rose recommends that instead of asking your kids "Did you like the food that you tasted?" invite them to taste the food and share their views. You can ask questions like, "How is the texture of the food?" "Is it crunchy or smooth?" "How does the food look?"

You will find that the more your kids get accustomed to tasting different foods, they less fear they'll have in their minds. Only when kids manage to eliminate this fear, will they let go of their inhibition of trying out new foods. 

3 delicious broccoli recipes you can prepare for your baby

Lemony Broccoli

Ingredients

• Broccoli (1 head)
• Lemon
• Olive oil
• Butter

Steps

• Cut florets away from the stalk.
• Steam the florets until they are completely soft. But make sure they are not mushy. 
• Melt some butter in a pan.
• Next, pour the melted butter into a mixing bowl, and squeeze a little bit of lemon juice into it. Then give it a good mix.
• Let the broccoli cool, once you take them down from the steamer. Cut each floret in half. 
• Add the broccoli to the bowl with the lemony butter and nicely coat the vegetable. 
• Take them out in a serving bowl and your kids will love the tangy taste. 

Broccoli Smoothie

Ingredients

• ½ cups broccoli fresh or frozen. Steam the florets
• 1 handful spinach
• ½ carrot
• ½ cups pineapple fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• ½ lemon juiced
• Water

Steps

• Take a blender and then add all the ingredients except lemon and water. Squeeze the lemon juice and pour in half the water.
• Close the blender lid tightly and mix for 1-2 minutes, until it is smooth. Add the remaining water and mix again for around 30 seconds. If you are fine with the consistency, then pour it into a glass. If it is thick, then you can add a little bit of water to dilute it. 

ALSO READ: Recipe for kids: Apricot, date and coconut bliss balls – no cooking required

Broccoli Mac & cheese

Ingredients:

• 250gms  macaroni
• 300 gms broccoli
• Butter
• One egg yolk
• One cup milk
• 250gms shredded cheese
• Two teaspoons mustard
• Salt and pepper as per taste

Directions 

• In a large pot, boil some water to cook the pasta. You can add some salt to the boiling water so that it gets into the pasta.
• Cool it until the pasta is soft
• Then steam the broccoli and finely chop them
• Drain the pasta and then add it to the broccoli. Mix the egg yolk and the butter as well at this stage. 
• You can add milk, cheese and mustard. Keep stirring until the cream melts.
• Add the broccoli, salt and pepper and mix the pasta well.

Note: In order to minimise the risk of choking, chop the broccoli into small pieces. Steam the florets until they are soft and then slice each floret in half lengthwise along the stalk.

Remember that steaming helps to retain the nutrients of the broccoli as compared to boiling. You can also roast the broccoli, but for younger babies, steaming is usually the safest option.

When your baby becomes an advanced eater (12 - 24 months), you can decrease the amount of time you are steaming. 

So try these recipes and follow Sheila's secret: persistence and patience to convert your picky eater into a healthy one. 

This article was first published in theAsianparent.