Make mealtime fun for kids with food allergies

Kids often love to cook, so use it to your advantage when preparing meals for children with food allergies. Pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, MD talks about easy ways to get kids involved and interested in meal planning.

Transcript

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It helps them master fine motor skills. And just learning how to follow a recipe is a great lifelong lesson. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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Hi. I'm Dr. Altman. Meals can be tough for kids who have food allergies. Here's a strategy to make mealtime more fun for everyone.

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Involve the whole family in planning meals. It'll help your children learn what she should avoid and, more importantly, focus on what she can eat.

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Try these tips. Teach the whole family to read food labels. And that includes siblings who don't have food allergies.

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Make a game of lining up cans and boxes of food and coaching kids on ingredients to watch out for. Take everyone shopping.

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Armed with their new vocabulary, a shopping trip can be a treasure hunt for kids. Cook together. Even little kids can help out with small chores like tearing

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up lettuce for salads. Spending time in the kitchen is good for kids in so many ways. It helps them master fine motor skills.

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And just learning how to follow a recipe is a great lifelong lesson. Kids who have food allergies can learn how to use ingredients they can eat.

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Time in the kitchen is also a good chance for you to just check in with your kids and see how they're doing with everything from school

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to their friends. I'm Dr. Altman. For more ways to nourish your family's health, check out all our smart tips.