Changing Childrens eating habits

There's a product called Sunbutter that's made from sunflower seeds; you might see if your kids like it as it's the only spread that's nut-free and this would allow them to still have something close to their favorite sandwich.

Do they like hummus? Some brands come in single serve containers that they could put on whole grain crackers or carrot sticks. Dried fruit was popular in my house, but if you're worried about sugar content then check labels as some dried fruits have added sugar. Mango is usually very sweet on it's own so I can easily find dried mango without added sugar.

If they like lunchables, try making your own. Cut the turkey and cheese into fun shapes, use whole grain crackers, and get some fun little containers to put it all in. I have also seen neat ideas on some bento box sites for kids healthy lunch ideas.

It's quite easy, since kids don't typically have their own money.

We've completely changed our kids diets twice, The first time we changed their diet was to combat some serious attitude issues with my oldest. We got rid of all the overly processed, sugary heavy, nutritional junky foods and replaced them with whole wheat crackers, fruits and veggies, rice cakes real cheddar cheese, , homemade muffins and granola bars, apple sauce.... They kids (mainly our oldest) really fought it, but when there is no other choice, they adapt.

The second time we changed everything was when the kids, our son especially, was diagnosed with gluten issues. As of right now our cupboards ahve rice crackers, rice cakes, Sun Rype fruit bars and individual apple sauce cups. Our fridge is full of beef jerky, pepperoni sticks, pre-cut veggies, hard boiled eggs, yogurt for my oldest, and we have tons of fruit. I try and keep something baked, right now we have GF apple "cake". The kids never say they can't find something to eat.

Last year when the kids were still eating gluten, lunches would include jam sandwiches on whole wheat, (PB free school) ham or turkey sandwiches (ham, cheddar, lettuce, whole wheat bread) salads with ham or chicken, wraps, crackers and cheese, baked tortilla chips and salsa, fruit, muffins, mini bagel with cream cheese, Yogurt, apple sauce, fruit, veggies, leftover rice in a thermos.

This year we're homeschooling and I don't have to make any lunches to-go, but when we have to pack snacks we pack jerky, applesauce, GF muffins, granola bars. For lunch my little ones usually have a protein (hard boiled egg, jerky, pepperoni, leftover chicken or deli meat), fruit or berries and either crackers or a rice cake with honey or jam.

I know there are tons of other ideas out there, but we're a gluten free, dairy free (except the oldest) corn free, nut free house....I'm limited in ideas outside of those restrictions.

Honestly though, the kids won't starve. Get rid of the foods you don't want them having, replace them with the foods that they do like, and tell them thats what they have to choose from. I also have picky kids, so I'm not coming from a point of view where my kids will eat anything and change is easy. My middle child has never put a vegetable in her mouth. Shes 5 next week.

www.100daysofrealfood.com has some great recipes, and some great information on changing kids diets. www.weelicious.com has tons of recipes too.

I put healthy food in front of my kid. No bribes. I do ask that he take a small bite of each item and if he hates it he doesn't have to eat it. I read somewhere that if you try a food several times you will either eventually like it or will never like it. My son will now eat broccoli and a few other veggies using that method. It took a while you have to be patient. He loves broccoli, carrots, apples, grapes, watermelon & pineapple. I give him lots of the healthy foods he does like. I limit him to one small soda/ day and one sweet treat.

Here are some ideas if you have a little time...

http://www.parenting.com/gallery/bento-lunch-boxes don't have to get that fancy.

My son gets a sandwich, grapes or carrots and a small bag of his favorite chips for lunch. Sometimes he gets a thermos of soup. He plays hockey 4x per week and a few chips won't hurt him.

Way to go! My daughter is four and we've been vegetarian at home ever since she was born so that has helped a lot. Eating out is more difficult because restaurants only offer kids carbs and sugar. Often, we'll get her a special drink that she wants (smoothie/virgin drink in fun glass or something), then she can share off of our healthier adult plates. We're working at weaning her off of desserts though! Those bad habits start SO early...

As for lunchboxes, my little one LOVES edemame and they even sell single serving kids packs featuring Sponge Bob on the front! But, they're fun to eat anyway because they're so interactive to get the beans out of the pods. Sesame Street has some healthy waffles, pancakes and other breakfast items with their faces on the boxes (make sure your kiddos see them before you pack them for the lunch). Dips are great for any veggies-- ranch, guacamole, hummus, cream cheese, liquid cheese dip. Just give it some time. They'll eat when they're hungry enough and once their bodies start getting the amazing nutrients from the healthier food they'll start to crave it rather than the junk. Bodies crave what they eat (be it junk or health).

My son hates peanut butter, so I use either cream cheese or butter- health fats are actually beneficial to kids, especially if they are not featured in high amounts elsewhere in their diet. We eat lean meats, so not a lot of animal fats.
I'll make lunches of homemade chicken nuggets with organic ketchup, along with things like yogurt, ham & cheese.

We transitioned to "real" food, leaving GMO's and preservatives in the dust. My son is very sensitive to artificial food dye so we eliminated that too.
Amazon has lots of options for organic snacks (Annies, Nature's path) that resemble the generic junk that most kids have. They haven't complained, and actually like the organic pop-tarts and cereal bars, because they taste like fruit, not sugary syrup.
He has always been a big veggie eater, preferring broccoli to french fries, so 1 sugary snack a day, i figure is OK.

There are actually nut-free "peanut butter" products that are safe to send with them. One I know off the top of my head is WOWButter. My nephew eats it and doesn't complain. He doesn't know it's not real peanut butter though! http://www.soybutter.com/

Not a parent, but all I can say is just do it. Don't make a big deal out of it and act like it is like they've always eaten. That's how my parents did it if they introduced something new. Then again, they were pretty strict and my brother and I knew that what they said went without question..lol.

If they like lunchables, try making your own. Cut the turkey and cheese into fun shapes, use whole grain crackers, and get some fun little containers to put it all in. I have also seen neat ideas on some bento box sites for kids healthy lunch ideas.

This is a good idea.

I'm a mom, and when I started trying to lose weight, I incorporated more veggies, fruit and homecooked meals into our family diet. However, nothing is off-limits completely. I don't want my daughter to be "afraid" of food. She's learned that some things are "sometimes" foods and other things are "any time" foods. She's four, and if she wants a snack, 9 times out of 10, she asks for an apple or a banana. So, I don't care if she gets a cookie the 10th time.
I was careful not to make it into too big of a deal. She started making better choices based on what she saw me doing and what was offered to her.

Also, don't make your kids scared of carbs. Carbs aren't evil - they are a good source of energy, especially for active people. Your kids need them. You can always substitute whole grain for white (although, read your labels....a lot of things marked "wheat" aren't any better than the white version). My daughter actually prefers whole grain pasta.

Maybe whole grain ravioli for lunch? Celery spread with cream cheese and wrapped in proscuitto or ham? Cut up fruits and veggies? Cottage cheese? Roast beef roll-ups with swiss cheese? Carrots and hummus? Roasted chickpeas (seasoned however they like)? Tortillas filled with black beans, diced peppers and cheese?