In Indonesia, rice is a staple food that is usually consumed every day. The notion of "you haven't really eaten if you haven't eaten rice" has been etched in the minds of many Indonesians. As a result, many parents are worried when their children don't like to eat rice.

Rice contains carbohydrates and fiber. So, in addition to being a source of energy, rice is also beneficial for digestive health. In addition, rice also contains various vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B1 and B6, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and manganese, which are good for body health.

Although it has the important nutrients that children need, not all children are happy when they have to eat rice. However, this doesn't mean your little one really doesn't like rice, you know, it could be because he's bored.

Well, therefore, some of the following tips you can try to deal with children who don't like rice:

When your little one is served rice and then refuses, don't be in a hurry to assume he doesn't like rice, right, Bun. It could be that the Little One is just bored with the rice that Mother gave.

If this is the case, you have to be more varied when processing rice, for example making rice into uduk rice or yellow rice. You can also use other natural food coloring to color the rice, such as beetroot juice for red and egg yolk for yellow.

In addition, Mother can shape rice into balls or various cute shapes, so that it arouses the desire of the Little One to eat it.

The original taste of rice tends to be bland. To increase your little one's appetite for rice, you can also add a taste of rice, for example by replacing the water for cooking rice with broth or coconut milk.

In addition, if you want to add a fragrant aroma to the rice, you can add a little lime juice or add pandan leaves and garlic when cooking the rice.

It is important to create a pleasant dining atmosphere. Don't make mealtimes a moment of contention between mother and baby, OK?

Before giving your little one rice, pay attention to whether he is really hungry or not. If you're not hungry, either rice or whatever menu you cook, you don't necessarily want to touch it.

If your little one is hungry, try to eat with your child, because who knows eating together can encourage your little one to eat more voraciously.

If you've implemented the tips above, but your little one still doesn't want to eat rice, there's no need to worry too much, Bun. Children do not like rice is not a problem that should be exaggerated, you know.

To keep your little one getting energy, carbohydrates, and other nutrients, you can give him some of these foods:

Just like rice, potatoes are also rich in carbohydrates. Not only that, this plant which has the Latin name Solanum tuberosum also stores other nutrients, such as fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folic acid. To process it, Mother can make potatoes into cakes, french fries, add to vegetable soup, or become baked potatoes.

Corn is a vegetable that is rich in carbohydrates and can be used as a substitute for rice. Apart from being a source of energy and carbohydrates, corn can also be a source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and sodium.

The sweet taste of corn can also arouse children's appetite to eat. Mother can process corn into bakwan corn, corn soup, corn milk cheese, and pudding.

Oatmeal is a type of whole grain that contains many important nutrients, ranging from carbohydrates, fiber, protein, healthy fats, to various vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B9, calcium, magnesium, folate, phosphorus, potassium, iron and manganese.

If your child doesn't like rice, oatmeal can be an excellent choice to replace their energy and carbohydrate sources. Oatmeal can be processed into porridge with various toppings, such as fresh fruit, honey, nuts, or fresh vegetables, meat, and eggs.

Tubers such as sweet potatoes and cassava have long been consumed as a substitute for rice. Both sweet potato and cassava, both contain carbohydrates, fiber, and protein, so they can be a good substitute for rice. You can serve sweet potatoes and cassava to your baby by boiling, steaming, or baking them.