Sneaky Nutrition: Is it a Good Idea to Hide the Truth from Your Kids?

If you are a parent of a picky eater, you have most likely heard about the cookbook titled Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. The basic idea is to hide nutritious foods inside of the foods your children will eat in order to get them to eat healthy. The problem is your child is eating healthy without knowing it. When it comes to healthy eating habits I feel that knowledge should be key, and therefore, "masking" nutritious foods into the foods your children enjoy eating actually does nothing for your child or for you as a parent. If you are interested in improving the eating habits of your children forget the Deceptively Delicious cookbook and try these ideas instead.

Knowledge is Key

The problem behind the idea of Deceptively Delicious and "sneaky nutrition" recipes is that your child has no knowledge of what they are actually eating. They also don't understand why it is important to choose healthy foods. When trying to get your kids to eat a healthier diet you should discuss the importance of good health and good food to your child. While they may not show interest in your health food talks you should not give up. Repetition is the key. Just be careful not to nag. You don't want your child to associate healthy foods with a negative experience. When talking nutrition with your child, keep the conversation open allowing them to ask questions and submit their own thoughts on healthy eating. When talking with your child you should also keep in mind their age.

A toddler may not be interested and will most likely not remember that carrots are full of beta carotene. However you can associate the carrot with benefits that are easy to remember. For example you could tell your child that eating carrots is good for their heart and good for their eyes. Make the lesson fun by making up a song to sing and pointing to the areas of the body that each healthy food benefits.

Speaking to older children about nutrition will require a different approach. You can explain the health benefits more thoroughly with an older child than you could with a toddler. You can teach your child about the different vitamins and minerals found in healthy foods and how they benefit their bodies. To make things more interesting for your older child you can have them read food labels while shopping at the grocery store with you or have them track their nutrition intake by using a free nutrition tracker online. For a free way to track your nutrition visit this website.

Cook with Your Kids

Kids love to help Mom and Dad out around the house as it makes them feel important and grown up. One way for your kids to help you out around the house, which also provides its own benefits, is helping Mom and Dad cook. The fact is children are more likely to try a new food if they were able to help prepare it. Another way to get your child interested in a new food is to have them perform the duties of a taste tester. By allowing your child to perform taste tests of the nutritious foods you are creating a positive experience for them to relate with the new food.

Allow older children to get creative in the kitchen by making suggestions to improve the flavor of the food. Toddlers may not be able to do much as far as helping but can still be included in the meal making process. Toddlers can learn to count (one carrot, two carrot, three carrot, etc.), learn their colors (What color is the spinach? What color is the carrot?), and even entertain Mom and Dad with music created with a pot and a wooden spoon. Instead of hiding the nutritious food into other foods, as suggested in recipes such as the ones found in Deceptively Delicious, you can show your children exactly what goes into each meal and create a wonderful bonding experience with them as well.

Family Grocery Shopping

Taking kids to the grocery store is often linked to bad experiences. It doesn't have to be this way. Taking your children to the grocery store can actually be a fun learning experience for your children. As suggested above, you can have your older children read food labels with you to find which foods are healthier than others. Kids also find it fun to pick through fresh fruit and vegetables to find just the right one to purchase. You can teach your kids what to look for when picking out fresh produce from the grocery store. Allow your children to fill the produce bags themselves with the fresh fruits and vegetables.

Some grocery stores even have informative labels for some of the fruits and vegetables which can help teach your kids the benefits of eating each food. Before taking the kids to the grocery store you can sit down with them and discuss the weekly meal plan. Allow your child to search through healthy recipes with you and pick one to cook during the week. Having a choice when it comes to what they eat can make eating healthy more appealing to your children.

One last tip I have to share is to allow your child to eat a food again even if they did not enjoy it the first time. It has been said that you should expose your child to the same food twice to help them figure out whether they like the food or not. Usually the first time your child tries a food they already have built up a biased opinion of the food before even tasting it. The biased opinion will not be as strong the second time around and your child will most likely be less reluctant to eat it.

When trying to get your picky eaters to enjoy eating healthy foods these tips can help make the process more enjoyable for both you and your child. Instead of trying to hide nutrition from your child arm them with knowledge. You may be surprised to find that they are willing to give healthy eating a try.