Mom gets son to eat healthy by creating adorable cartoon meals

Getting kids to eat healthy is something many parents struggle with, especially during the back-to-school season, but Laleh Mohmedi may have found the secret. The Australian mom turns her son's meals into works of art that resemble his favorite cartoon characters.

"Every night Jacob requests which character he would like for me to make him the next day," she told ABC via email. "These characters are normally from books, toys, cartoons or something that has caught his attention that day. He has even asked me to make him Michael Jackson!"

Though Mohmedi works in medical recruitment, she said she's always been creative. So while preparing with her son's meal one morning this past May, she decided to play around with it.

"I decided to turn Jacob's pancakes into a lion -- which could have easily passed as a bear," she said. "He absolutely loved it and it progressed from there."

Mohmedi is health-conscious and incorporates as many fresh and organic foods as possible, like fruits and vegetables.

In addition to teaching Jacob healthy eating habits, Mohmedi said, the time spent creating the meals is a bonding experience.

"He helps me with making the meals (and by help i mean asking me 100 times what I am doing!)" she said. "It [sic] a beautiful moment we spend together talking about the ingredients we are using."

Mohmedi said she thinks parents who are struggling with getting their kids to eat healthy should set aside the "Don't play with your food" mindset.

"A child eats with their eyes -- if they don't like what they see they wont eat it," she said. "So why not make it fun? I mean who wouldn't want to eat a minion?"

See more on Mohmedi's Instagram page.

Images used with permission.