Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthy Foods

Admit it: We as parents are completely freaked out by the possibility that we are ruining the health and lives of our children by what we put on our tables. We want to feed our children more healthy foods, but we don't have the slightest clue how to get past the yuck factor.

I started out with my first child in a bad way; and she started life as a picky eater. Thank goodness I figured out ways to make healthy foods work. What follows are the tips and tricks I have learned as a mother of four beautiful individuals.

Variety Is The Spice of Life

Starting with our second child; I began offering a huge variety of foods as soon as we were past introducing solids. What does that mean? Well, it means that I offered my child chopped up olives, bits of chips dipped in spicy salsa, and other off the wall foods most people would not consider "kid friendly". The more variety your child experiences at a young age; the less likely pickiness will ensue later!

Repetition Brings Success

Exposure to a new food once is not sufficient. Children need to acquire a taste for the new and different; and it takes at least six exposures for the taste to become acquired. Don't give up, because more then likely success is just around the corner. Green beans were on our menu frequently in this household; and my oldest boy was forever complaining about having to eat green beans. I didn't noticed when the complaining stopped, but one day he announced, "I don't know when I changed my mind but I like these green beans now!" Success! Now we are working on asparagus...

Set a Good Example

What child would try a new food when the parent won't even touch it? So what if carrots have a funny texture; they are incredibly good for you! If your child sees you embracing healthy foods, your child is much more likely to eat well himself!

Teach Your Children About Good Nutrition

When my oldest two were 5 and 3 years old; I bought a food pyramid chart and hung it next to our kitchen table. I let the children help me sort the food cards that came with the chart; and we talked about what we were eating at every meal for about one week. We used food stickers to create our own charts on scrap paper; and even kept food journals with the stickers. I had the children help cook, baking bread with Dad and washing veggies with Mom. We read lots of books from the library like Let's Eat by Anne Zamorano. We tried one new vegetable dish each night and talked about the health benefits of each veggie. Four years later, my children still talk about how fun that week was! Considering the ages of my youngest two children, its probably time to get that chart back out...

Make Healthy Food Attractive

One way to make veggies attractive is to add healthy dips. Don't add sour cream for dipping, as this is not a healthy habit! Instead offer low sodium salsa or roasted red pepper hummus. Homemade salsa is simple if you own a blender, and the fresh taste is far superior Natural peanut butter makes a great dip for apples and celery. Organic salad dressings are often low in sugar and offer great variety.
Smoothies are also a great way to make healthy foods attractive. Start with a cup of ice, a scoop or two of sorbet, a handful of blueberries, a banana and ½ C of Kefir or Yogurt. This makes enough smoothie for two children and is very high in nutritional value In addition to the benefits of the fruit, the Kefir or Yogurt adds healthy positive bacteria back into your child's body. If you are truly brave, you can add a handful of spinach to your blender!
For more ideas on "sneaking" healthy foods into your child's diet, consult the book "The Sneaky Chef" by Missy Chase Lapine.

Control Your Cupboard

Don't fill your cabinets or pantry with lots of junk you would rather your child didn't eat. This might seem obvious; and yet... How many of us have a huge stash of chocolate; half dozen boxes of fruit roll-ups, four opened containers of store bought cookies, and not a single veggie in our fridge?

Buy Whole Grain

So many products come in whole grain, high fiber alternatives these days, you have no excuse! Unbleached flour retains all of the health benefits, while refined and processed flour becomes empty calories. Whole grain flours and grains are high in fiber and rich in nutrients. I have found Whole Grain Pepperidge Farm Gold Fish, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, whole grain Cereal bars, and even whole grain frozen waffles. Whenever you are shopping for whole grain items, be sure to check the ingredients and nutrients list. If the item contains bleached or enriched flour, or doesn't include 3 or 4 grams of fiber; it is probably not a healthy choice. Enriched flour is simply man's attempt to add vitamins and minerals back to the flour after it has been bleached. The vitamins and minerals are far more accessible in their original form!

Check for Sugar and Salt Content

As far as reading labels; the two most important ingredients to check are sugar and salt. Did you know that 4 grams equal one teaspoon? Many boxed cereals you buy have 4 teaspoons in a single serving! Better to let your child add their own sugar, where most of the 4 teaspoons would sink to the bottom and be left behind.

Back Off a Little and Don't Skimp on the Fun

Didn't your parents make you eat every single bite on your plate? We have changed up this rule a bit. Our children never have to eat everything on their plates; but they do have to eat some portion of everything in order to get dessert. Eating at least some vegetables is never required - unless you want dessert. In our home, dessert requires about 1 Tablespoon of every vegetable served. Only one taste of a new food is required in order to get dessert. Eating for the sake of eating is never required! This small change reaps big dividends. My children definitely understand the concept of "full". They have been known to choose to stop and give up dessert when they are too full. However, most often they choose to eat the vegetables on their plate. We have a dessert every evening after supper. That dessert might be as simple as a piece of candy or as elaborate as homemade strawberry shortcake.

Children are a wonderful responsibility, and so many parents struggle to balance quality nutrition with the other demands of our busy lifestyles. I hope this article will help you develop some quick and easy habits that will stay with your child for a long and healthy future!

Happy Eating!