Getting kids to eat healthy foods, especially vegetables, seems like an almost impossible task. However, it is possible to do so with patience and perseverance.
You can get your child to eat healthier by making great tasting recipes. Use these tips to help your child develop better eating habits.
Show Don’t Tell
The best thing you can do if you want your child to eat healthy foods is to eat them yourself. It would be hypocritical of you to tell your son or daughter to eat carrots when you don’t eat them.
Instead of telling them, show kids how delicious eating healthy can be by making healthy meals for the family.
Stock Nutritious Choices
Instead of buying potato chips, ice cream, or sugar-laden cereals, buy nutritious choices for snacks, desserts, and breakfast.
If salty, fatty, or sugary foods are not available, then your children can’t eat them. Stock up on vegetables, nuts, fruits, and cheeses, and they will make better choices.
However, only buy fruits with high carbohydrates in moderation. Watermelon, peaches, and grapes taste good and have the nutrients you want your kids to have, but they can spike blood sugar levels. Also, avoid seemingly healthy foods with high sodium and sugar levels.
Read the Labels
Learning how to read labels on canned, frozen, or other processed foods will help you select healthier choices. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that kids from ages six to 18 should only have 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day, but most kids get about 3,300mg.
Also, try to limit sugar to less than six teaspoons, or 25 grams, a day for those between the ages of two and 18. While that may seem impossible, look for low to no-sugar alternatives for the foods your children usually like to eat.
Experiment with Various Foods
There are many delicious foods that your child will probably enjoy if you experiment with them by learning new recipes or combining foods.
For instance, use spaghetti squash instead of pasta. It’s not only a healthier alternative, but kids will like watching it go from a veggie into spaghetti noodles.
You can also try using cauliflower crusts to make pizza or cutting jicama into sticks for their lunches instead of the usual carrot or celery sticks. If your family has decided to eat a vegan diet, try some of the easy vegan recipes for kids to determine what they like.
Involve Kids in Meal Preparation
A fun way to get your kids to eat healthier is by having them help prepare snacks and meals with you. There are many things they can do in the kitchen that doesn’t involve working with sharp or hot objects.
They can tear lettuce or fresh spinach by hand for the salad, add cherry tomatoes to the salad, clean the vegetables and fruits, or make toast. A research study found that when children are involved in meal prep, they will eat more vegetables.
If getting your child to eat healthily is difficult, then involve them in planning, shopping, and preparing the meals at home. It helps them feel better and more in control of what they eat. Also, be their role model by eating healthier foods.
For more great family tips, check out the other blogs on Cyber Parent.