Here are a few tips on how to introduce fish in a child’s diet

•    Every child’s first contact with food is through the appearance. So make your dish of fish appealing. You can make it appear as a finger food with a coat of cornmeal in a colorful salad dressing, and make it fun to eat too.
•    Minced or mashed fish is another way to kick-start the ‘fish’ menu for your child. For a one-year old toddler, this will be easy to chew and digest as well.
•    Of the fish varieties, salmon has the highest content of omega 3 fatty acids, and  you may be tempted to wade through the strong currents of opposition from your child, to make him/her eat salmon. But remember salmon has a very strong fish flavor, so try for milder varieties such as the Tilapia, which are easily likable. This helps to remove the first roadblock on how to introduce fish in a child’s diet.
•    Children always say cheese to cheese. So when your fish is half-done sprinkle it with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese and then resume cooking and serve.
•    If baking is your favorite and your child’s yum treat as well; then try baking your fish in pies, cookies and cakes. This can add a tinge of flavor to the fish to make it your child’s favorite.
•    Try making your fish in different shapes and sizes as this will be an added attraction for your child. Use your cookie cutter to cut out different shapes such as stars, crescent moons, to present your fish in a fanciful way.

Some don’ts while introducing fish in a  child’s diet

•    First and foremost, when you are on the mission on how to introduce fish in a child’s diet,  test your child for any kind of fish allergies. Try a spoonful for the first time, wait for a day or two, if you don’t notice any allergic reaction, you can then proceed to the main course of Fish dishes.
•    Do not start a fish diet for children less than a year old.
•    Avoid fish such as tuna or sword fish as they have a high degree of mercury in them, which can lead to poisoning.
•    For kids below 10 years of age, fish with small bones should also be avoided due to the associated hazards of choking.

Remember, with kids especially the picky eaters, success doesn’t come   in the first attempt. You need to go around the different route to entice your child with your prize dish, especially when you are introducing fish in a child’s diet, so that they fall into the net and enjoy being trapped with a fish!

Photo Courtesy : sciencedaily.com