Getting kids to eat healthy is important for their overall growth and development. However, convincing them to eat healthy foods is often easier said than done.
The first years of a child’s life are vital to their overall health, growth, and development. Their meals should be a balance of nutrients. About half of the plate should be fruits and vegetables and the remainder should be protein, whole grains, and dairy as recommended by the USDA on www.choosemyplate.gov. The primary beverage for kids should be water. Drinks high in sugar should be avoided, but if you do choose to give your kids juice, be sure it’s 100 percent juice and limited to 4-6 ounces per day.
Picky eaters may not want to eat whatever you set in front of them. They may be more willing to try new foods if they feel a part of the meal-time preparation process. Encourage them to help with grocery shopping and choose a new food they would be willing to try. Allow them to help cook the food and incorporate their ideas into the menu. You could even plant a garden together. If they grow their own fruits or vegetables, they may be more willing to try them.
Well balanced choices should be offered with each meal, even if the child does not choose to eat a balance of the options. You don’t ever want to force foods on your children, as this normally makes them push back even more. Just remember: it’s your job as a parent to provide the food, it’s your child’s decision to eat it.
Also, try to stay away from bribing your children or using sweets as rewards for trying healthy foods. This can just make the reward food more enticing and the healthy food a chore. Set a good example for your kids by letting them see you eat the foods you want them to eat.
Ways to disguise healthy food:
- Blend a variety of fruit and even spinach into a smoothie.
- For breakfast, try making egg breakfast sandwiches or omelets with vegetables.
- Hide veggies like zucchini, carrots, and even pumpkin in muffin recipes.
- Make casseroles with “hidden” vegetables.
- Add butter or cheese to make vegetables more palatable.
Ways to make food fun:
- Cut your child’s food into fun shapes. Using a cookie cutter, you can punch out stars from watermelon, or other types of melon.
- Make kabobs with the food. Grill chicken with veggies on a kabob, or make fruit or veggie kabobs.
- Dip fruits and veggies into sauces like fruit dip or ranch dressing.
- Make a taco or pizza bar where kids can add their own toppings.
- Put stickers of their favorite TV or movie characters on a little baggy so they can have “Mickey Mouse carrots.”
- Arrange fruits and veggies on a plate in the shape of your child’s favorite TV characters. For an Elmo plate, use cherry tomatoes for the face, carrots for the nose and a hard-boiled egg sliced for the eyes. You can also try a pineapple Big Bird, a broccoli Oscar the Grouch, or a blueberry and blackberry Cookie Monster.
