Getting Your Child to Eat Healthier One Step at a Time

A lot of kids just don't like healthy foods. Let's face it, lettuce just doesn't taste as good as pizza! But, there are some things to do to gradually introduce healthy foods into your child's diet.

Instead of bacon and eggs at breakfast time, try a yogurt parfait. Get a clear glass or bowl, and layer yogurt, fresh fruit, low fat cereal like Cheerios or Rice Krispies, and nuts. If you let the kids choose and make their own, they may be more apt to eat it.

Think of what you normally make, and try to be inventive to make it more healthy. For instance, you can try this:
After cooking macaroni and cheese, shred a few baby carrots into it and mix. The cheese will camouflage the carrots. Think of a name for it that will draw the kids to want to try it. Something like "Confetti Mac and Cheese" sounds like it may work!

For dinner one night, try "Make your own pizza night". Use whole-wheat pizza dough or readymade pizza crusts. Put out homemade sauce, fresh veggies and low fat cheeses for the kids to choose from. Have one already made on the table to get them excited about making their own pizza. Perhaps a funny face using shredded carrot for hair, zucchini for eyes, black olives for eyeballs, a mushroom for the nose, peppers for the mouth, and corn for the teeth!

Take your kids to a different country once per week. Designate a night where you can cook with your kids. Go online with your kids and research different countries and the foods that they eat. You can go to Italy, Mexico, Poland, or Japan without even leaving your house! Your kids get to try new foods, and learn about different cultures all at the same time!

Get fresh ingredients and substitute healthier foods for the not so healthy ones. To get you started thinking, here are some substitutions you can make: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter for regular butter, Eggbeaters for eggs, whole wheat breads, rice, and pastas instead of white.

Now for dessert! What good is a dinner with out a great dessert to end the meal? If you're having cake or pie, you can cut the servings yourself before it gets put on the table. Cut small slices, that way if they ask for seconds, they are still eating less then they normally would have. Try an angel food cake with fresh fruit such as strawberries, bananas, or pineapple.

Instead of ice cream, try frozen yogurt. Give choices of fresh fruit, nuts, and even Hershey's syrup. Remember, we don't want to shock them! We want to start adding healthier foods one step at a time!

You don't have to make your kids go cold turkey on their favorite foods. Just try to adjust them to healthier eating by gradually adding veggies and whole grains into their meals! By following this principle, you can increase their intake of healthy foods over time. This let's them get used to the new foods a little at a time, rather than eliminating their favorites altogether.