Open communication with your family about eating right is important. Kids who learn to eat nutritious snacks and meals early on are more likely to bring these habits into adulthood. Children will often gravitate toward and insist on eating foods that are not so good for them such as salty and sugary treats. In these cases, you may have to resort to a bit of trickery.
Here are some tips:
Have the kids help. Start a small vegetable garden or greenhouse and have the family plant, care for and harvest the fruits and vegetables. In the kitchen, have them help with simple tasks, such as stirring a pot, rolling out dough, stacking sandwiches, etc. One for fun: Homemade veggie pizza.
Get rid of snack foods that do not have any nutritional value. Instead, offer fresh vegetables or fruit. Carrot or celery sticks, sliced apples, bananas, oranges are quick, easy snacks. To satisfy the munchies, look in the natural foods snack aisle for ones that are vegetable-based, baked, high-fiber, and contain organic ingredients. One for fun: Root vegetable chips.
Sneak in vegetables. Use a ricer on vegetables to make them similar in texture to foods that they do like to eat. Use the kids’ favorite foods as a base and add finely grated or chopped vegetables to them. For example, add spinach and carrots to meatballs or mashed sweet potatoes to macaroni and cheese. One for fun: Spaghetti squash with marinara.
Push dessert. Make desserts from scratch so that you can make smart adjustments. In baked goods, reduce the sugar, replace butter with applesauce and add a finely grated neutral-flavored vegetable. One for fun: Make your own popsicles using pureed fruit and berries.