Have a picky eater?
Here are 10 PRACTICAL ways to get your little ones to eat
their veggies – and other new foods!
“No Thank You” Bite This one isn’t just for veggies but all
food. Face it, some things kids just
don’t like (just like some food YOU just don’t care for!). You don’t want to force your kid to eat everything
but they do have to at least take a bite.
Afterwards, if they don’t like it, they just need to say, “No thank
you!” Not “EWWWW”, not gagging, not
spitting it back out.
*Bonus - a little lesson on manners!
Do NOT be sneaky There are recipe books out for how to sneak
veggies into your kids' food WITHOUT them knowing! No way Jose!
Go ahead and put the pureed veggies in your cheese sauce or smoothie but
TELL THEM (maybe wait until they are a few bites or sips into it and talk about
how yummy it is first). Let them see
that they are eating veggies AND enjoying them!
Shop with them As you
walk around the produce section, get them involved! Encourage older kids to walk around and
explore the goods! For the little guys
cooped up in the cart, be sure to hand them some produce to explore. They should be looking, touching, and
smelling the different produce (be sure to hit up some things like ginger, ripe
peaches, lemons… to smell). Every week
have them pick out a new fruit or veggie to try (later they can help you prepare it!).
Cook with them Get them involved in the kitchen with
you! It gives them a real sense of
ownership and they are more likely to try something that THEY made!
*Bonus - you’ll be making fun memories, not
just healthy food J
Raw vs Cooked Taste
Test Once the veggies are washed,
put some raw ones aside. When the cooked
ones are done, put both on their plate.
Make it a fun game to see what one they like better - You might find out that they like raw crunchy
carrots and not a fan of steamed ones!
While I don’t encourage short-order cooking (cooking different food for
picky eaters), if they do like the raw veg, remember that in the future! Always pull out a few raw ones for them (but
keep putting the cooked ones on the plate too so they get used to seeing them). Keep the raw ones in mind for snacks too!
Have FUN with Food
I do this all the time for snacks!
My 8 year old loves “surprise snack”.
He can’t look at what I am making (a stipulation we have is that he HAS
to eat whatever I fix him or I won’t do “surprise snack” again - I try to do foods he likes). This can be as simple as arranging slices of
fruit in the shape of a smiley face or giving foods goofy names. The other day I made the kids “monster eyes”,
which were really slices of bananas smeared with peanut butter and topped with
a raisin. As they munched I would
exclaim, “Ewww! I can’t believe you’re
really eating monster eyeballs! That is
soooo gross you guys!”
PS - When plating your kids dinner, try to make it look appealing - use contrasting dishes if you have them. Insead of putting green broccoli on a green plate, put it on a yellow one to make it stand out and look bright and fun :-) Yep, broccoli can look fun!
Dip, Baby, Dip Kids like to dip, plain and simple. Ranch, ketchup, honey, yogurt, Nutella,
hummus, salsa, peanut butter… Find out
what they like! Don’t just get creative
with the dip but with the way you serve the veggies or fruit. Cut them in strips or shapes to make
dipping even more fun!
Get Growin’! If you don’t have one already, start a little
garden. Don’t have a yard or it’s too
cold? Do a little on your window sill!.
When a child sees the magic of a tiny little see grow into FOOD they will be
amazed and eager to give it a taste! Start
small with an herb like cilantro to make a fresh salsa (that they of course
help you make too)!
*Bonus – Built in science lesson!
Bring on the super
powers! What kid doesn’t want super
powers?! Do a quick Google search on
what you plan on serving to see how our bodies benefit from it. I do this with a lot of food, not just
veggies! For example, chicken is a great
source of protein. Be sure to tell the
kids how eating the chicken is going to make their muscles big and strong. After they take a bite or 2, be sure to have
them flex for you. Give their bicep
a little squeeze and prepare to be amazed that they are already getting stronger!!! The next day while they are hanging from the
jungle gym exclaim, “Wow! That chicken
really made you strong! Look at you
swinging away like monkey!” OR at the
table I will say, “Oh no! I put peas on
your plate. Whatever you do, DON’T eat them! They will make you way too strong!” Sure enough with a mischievous grin, a few
peas will start making their way into your little one's mouth.
Monkey see, monkey
do! Don’t be a “Do as I say, not as
I do” kind of parent. Kids won’t want to
eat broccoli if daddy always leaves him on his plate (hint hint to my
hubby!). When they see you enjoying
healthy food, they will want to try it too!
My daughter was never a fan of avocados, which my husband and I
love! After seeing us repeatedly chowing
down on them and always offering her some, she now loves them! Be sure to talk about how yummy the food is
so they hear how much you like it!
When life just gets
too crazy and you realize that your kids just aren’t eating how you want
them to that day or you want to give them an extra boost... There is a way to CHEAT! If
there is a day that you will on the go and afraid your kids won’t get the
nutrition they need, here is my FAVORITE go to -The Greens! I take them every morning to boost my immune
system, alkalize (diseases HATE alkaline bodies), and for energy by giving my
body the right stuff. PLUS feeding your body the right stuff CURBS CRAVINGS! One little orange
flavored scoop is equivalent to 4+ servings of organic fruits and veggies! Mix it in some juice (our favorite is orange
or strawberry/banana/orange) and you’re done!
At least you know that your kids got in 4 servings before they even
finish their morning Barbie Princess movie (can you tell what my 3 year old
daughter is into right now?!). When my
kids see me mixing mine (I do 2 scoops for 8+ servings) they come running for theirs! How cool is that?!