How do you get your kids to eat healthy foods?

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AgeTaylor
AgeTaylor Posts: 14 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just thought we could all share our tips on how to get our kids to eat healthy foods too!

My kids (5, 3, 1) all love fresh fruits and do a decent job eating veggies. I wish I'd carried a love for fresh fruits through childhood and into adulthood, alas, that didn't happen. And a better enjoyment of veggies would be great too, LOL. I'm working on it though, and have come a long way! So I'm highly interested in keeping these trends going for them!

* In the afternoons/evenings, I lay out on the kitchen counter fresh fruits and veggies for them to graze on as they pass through (and graze, they do!!!) Like grapes, cantelope, strawberries, carrot sticks, cucumber slices... things they grab with one hand, pop in their mouth, and keep going with the play time. this also cuts down BIG time on their requests for junk food snacks (goldfish, sugary cereals...). AND doesn't dirty up the kitchen or dishes (bonus!!!)

Replies

  • jmmsunshine
    jmmsunshine Posts: 11 Member
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    I generally give them only healthy choices... "You can have oatmeal or shredded wheat," or "You can have an apple or a pear." We downplay sweets, and eat them rarely.

    At dinner time, both my kids need to take a "no thank you" bite - it's at least one bite of a new food. Each time I serve that food, they still need to take a "no thank you" bite.

    Also, I make healthy meals, it's their choice to eat them or not - I don't make different meals for the kids because "XXX won't eat that." I'm fond of saying, "This is not Burger King and you won't get it the way you want it." They are 2 1/2 and 4 1/2, and they are welcome to be hungry instead of eating what I serve.

    My kids are one of the few who eat a wide variety of foods, and really enjoy their fruits and veggies!
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    That's a great idea.
  • jillcwhite
    jillcwhite Posts: 181 Member
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    Great Suggestion! I did that for awhile and not much was eaten. I need to try again and see if the kids will start taking the fruits and veggies.
  • rhuecker
    rhuecker Posts: 3
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    I will put a variety of snacks into the cups of a muffin tin. I might throw in a few of their favorites but always try to include healthy choices. For example, popcorn, chunked cheeses, grapes, sliced apples, Kashi crackers, vegetables and fruits with dips, etc. My 3 year old typically does pretty good being allowed to graze and will usually at least try some of the healthier options. I will even do this for meals sometimes instead of fixing a large meal, I will include some lean meat cubes and we will all eat it family style around our coffee table in the family room. This makes it a "special treat" to be allowed to eat this way. Even if they choose the not as healthy options, the portions have been limited already. My boys are 9 and 3 and the oldest has always had a very picky palate but the youngest is learning to try new things easier this way. This takes some of the pressure off too; they don't have a full serving of their own sitting in front of them. They know that they can try something without having to eat more if they don't want to.
  • Pariah
    Pariah Posts: 97 Member
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    if you only have healthy foods in the house, then they have no other choice. kids are amazing creatures, we are all born with the instinct to eat when we are hungry and stop when we are full. as we get older, we learn that we are able to over rule what are instincts tell us by skipping meals or over eating. so if somebody was having a hard time getting their kids to eat healthier i would tell them to take the junk out of the house and only provide healthy options, because they won't starve themselves, eventually they will eat it.

    another bit of advice, it that it's not always the taste that bugs kids, but the texture. so with vegetables in particular, try to serve them 3 ways in the same meal. raw, cooked, and mixed into/hidden in something else.
  • lyndsloo
    lyndsloo Posts: 242
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    I've puree'd veggies and put them into different meals for my nephew and niece, and they never noticed! I've also added flax seed to recipes. Any little bit helps!

    A lot of the students at my school have parents that are health nuts. A lot of my kids LOVE hummus and carrots. I don't think they really know the difference between that and an unhealthy dressing, like ranch!

    Also, edamame are very good! I've seen a lot of kids eating those. Trader Joe's now even has chocolate covered edamame....a tastey/semi-healthy treat for once in awhile. Good luck!
  • jojojor
    jojojor Posts: 24
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    Fantastic suggestions! Please do this when your kids are young-my 13 yr old is so stubborn,its taken months and months and Ive finally had a win!! She ate a pear for breakfast! This child would only eat chocolate flavoured cereal or a ton of milo for breakfast!! She will now drink water too instead of soft drink.I should have enforced this years ago!
  • Tiggermummy
    Tiggermummy Posts: 312 Member
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    My kids get very little choice when we are at home, as I like to try and teach them the skills of healthy eating that I didn't
    have (and am paying the price for now) We also take them out and let them go to McDonalds and pizza hut etc, this is because they are going to be exposed to it, and we want them to understand you can go there sometimes. I used to be a scout leader and had one child inparticular that stuck in my mind. they were NEVER allowed sweets or to go to places like McDonalds and they rebelled big time when ever they got the chance, and went right off the rails at 13.
    we had to bring in extra rules for going on camp as they would spend £10 on sweets at the tuck shop and eat it all within 10 minutes if they got the chance. We also give our kids the really good quality chocolate more often than the "everyday" stuff from the newsagents etc ( the theory being they might develop a taste for the good stuff and not want much of the other, let you know in 10 years if it worked!)
    So we rarely have sweets, chocolate never before lunch, and there is never an alternative to family meals.
    My attitude is if you are hungry you will eat it. I have learnt not to put a lot on thier plates to start with, at least half of what i would do.
    this is because my eldest (4) is very underweight, although she does eat anything, if you put too much on her plate she instantly looses interest. She knows I expect her to eat everything on her plate to start with, after that it is her choice if she wants any more.
    We only really do a desert at weekends, but again not always.
    the only things she won't eat is onion and mushrooms - if she realises they are there.
    youngest is 2 and she will eat anything, we have had to stop her eating fresh tomatoes as she seems to be intolerant/allergic to them.

    A couple of months ago they were fighting, normal behaviour for toddlers you think, but they were fighting over brussel sprouts!
    Eldest had started watching TV and youngest was taking her bs off her plate while she wasn't looking!!!
    Then when she realised her bs were gone we had tears, Dadddy had to donate his to her as mummy had already eaten hers.

    Tiggermum

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