How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy
By Sara Butler
Getting kids to eat foods that are good for them can be a real uphill battle! It’s like some kind of strange rite of passage for a child to be resistant to trying new things as they grow. But as a parent, you have to keep trying because the health habits your child are forming now will stick around for the rest of their lives. Here are a few ways you can encourage your kids to eat better and hopefully encourage the development of healthier habits as they grow.
Introduce 'New Food Monday'!
Kids love a good celebration! So why not create a special day of the week in which you introduce a new food with just a little flair? It doesn’t have to be Monday (though that does have a nice ring to it) but you should pick a day of the week where you serve something new. This will create a routine for the kids and let them know they can expect it. It helps them to get excited about it and may even actually inspire them to put it in their mouths and chew. It creates a good opportunity for you. Remember, they may resistant at first but persistence will really pay off.
Give Them Smoothies
The great thing about smoothies is that they’re like a milkshake and milkshakes are something nearly every child can get behind. When you create your own smoothies at home, then you can make sure it’s got the good stuff in it, too. Hit all the major areas that a smoothie should when creating your blend – make sure to have fiber, protein, and something sweet in it. You can use:
- Frozen cherries
- Coconut milk
- Protein powder
- Peanut butter
- Silky tofu
- Almond milk
- Bananas
- Cocoa powder
- Oats
- Apples
- Green yogurt
- Pumpkin
Use Sweet Potatoes
There aren’t many children who will say no to fries or potato in some form, so instead of using plain white potatoes opt for something a little sweeter! Sweet potatoes are a great source of important vitamins and minerals but they taste great, so your child will have no clue how good they actually are for their health!
Create Your Own Trail Mix
Trail mix from the store is full of all kinds of crazy stuff that isn’t exactly the healthiest, so create your own at home using the good stuff such as:
- Walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Shredded coconut
- Chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Unsweetened dried fruit
- Candied ginger
You can make healthy food appealing to a child; you just have to know where to start!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Snellville, Ga.