How a Vietnamese mum gets her kids to eat healthy

By Kim Anh   May 2, 2018 | 10:36 pm PT
To encourage her kids to eat, their food is disguised as works of art inspired by cartoon characters and animals.
All of  these food are handmade. I usually use food wrapper and plastic gloves to shape the rice.

Nguyen Ngoc Huyen Trang, a 27-year-old Vietnamese mother of three in Jakarta, Indonesia, takes the time to prepare creative meals for her children, such as these porcupines in the jungle.

I was I was annoyed by how much picky my children were with food. So I decided to create nice-looking dishes for them. At first I just wanted them to eat healthier and with more pleasure, but it gradually became a part of my daily routine, said Trang, the mother of three kids, 6, 3.5, and 2 years old.

"I was getting annoyed about how picky my children were with their food, so I decided to create nice-looking dishes for them. At first, I just wanted them to eat healthy food and enjoy it, but it gradually became a part of my daily routine,” said Trang. Her children are two, three and a half, and six years old.

She started to wean her babies when they turned 6th month. Since their 10th month, their diet was completely replaced from breastfeeding to rice and food from other sources.

She started to wean her babies when they turned 6 months old.

She has been succeeded in feeding her first child with vegetables, and now she only has to make these special dishes for the two youngest ones. Trang said it takes her 20 to 40 minutes to prepare the food. Every night  before going to bed, Trang spends 10 minutes checking up what she should  do with the kids menu for the next day.

Trang said it takes her 20 to 40 minutes to prepare the food. Every night before going to bed, Trang spends 10 minutes checking up on what she should make for the kids the next day.

Its not that difficult, just a touch of creativity. Using available  ingredients with a little effort of decoration, and my kids would have a  happy meal, she said.

"It's not that difficult, just a touch of creativity. Using the ingredients I have and with a little effort, my kids enjoy a happy meal," she said.

Lunch with Doraemon from rice, saute meatballs and boiled broccoli.

Lunch with Doraemon made from rice, meatballs and boiled broccoli.

The color of rice is made from natural sources: broccoli for green, beetroot for red and pink, red cabbage for purple, carrot and pumpkin for orange, and turmeric for yellow.

The color of rice is made from natural sources: broccoli for green, beetroot for red and pink, red cabbage for purple, carrot and pumpkin for orange, and turmeric for yellow.

One evening, the kids asked for biscuit and milk. Trang successfully  persuaded them to wait for her candies. Then, each kid was rewarded  with 3 candies, with saute turmeric soaked fish, boiled cauliflower  and pumpkin soup. And they absolutely loved it.

One evening, the kids asked for biscuits and milk. Trang successfully persuaded them to wait for her “candies." That treat turned out to be fish with turmeric, boiled cauliflower and pumpkin soup. And they absolutely loved it.

Blueberry rice, with minced pork fried with mushroom, bone stew soup with pumpkin, and steamed broccoli.

Blueberry rice with minced pork, fried with mushrooms, pumpkin and steamed broccoli. Since Trang started her mission, her kids have been eating all kinds of fruit and vegetables, even ones they did not like before.

She said that the kids love these cute and creative food. No more complaining, no  more hand-washing reminder. They take their own chairs and spoons, sit  at the table and enjoy their plates within 15-30 minutes. Sometimes, the youngest child feels too excited and he uses hands to enjoy his food.

She said that her kids love the cute and creative food. No more complaining, no more reminders to wash their hands. They take their own chairs and spoons, sit at the table and enjoy their meals. Sometimes, her youngest child is so excited that he uses his hands.

Nguyen Ngoc Huyen Trang, 27, runs her own business in Jakarta, the  capital of Indonesia. Despite her busy schedule, the mother of three  always spends time to prepare meals for her children.

Trang runs her own business in Jakarta..

 
 
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