As someone who is passionate about good food and puts love, time and effort into the food that my family enjoys, I started gathering a list of useful tips that I use to keep my daughter engaged in what I like to call health-conscious eating.
As the seasons change, so does our diet, and we try to stick with mainly seasonal, local foods whenever possible. But the key is to keep things exciting and FUN for the little ones. Sound a little bit too easy!?It can be easier than you think to eat well, and here are a few tips on how you can get started with your little one.
Rely on the handful of things they love. Kids can be resistant to try different types of meats, beans and fish. If you know you can get them to enjoy foods like eggs, nut butters and avocados, even though they aren't going to take a bite of an orange, you can be sure that they will take a bite of a strawberry or another health option they they DO love.
Take 10 to prepare. Before you store your produce, take some moments to wash, slice and dice and set into dishes. When you store tons of freshly washed and cut fruits and veggies in the fridge, those are what get chosen to munch on -- keep these snacks at eye level!
So many smoothies. With a splash of pineapple juice, a couple of berries or even a tablespoon or two of chia seeds, any and all fruits and vegetables can be rendered indistinguishable in a blender. Kids may happily drink many of the foods they otherwise wouldn’t touch.
Snack meals. Instead of combining many foods into one large dish, we enjoy meals with little bits of different healthy foods to try. Bites of broccoli florets, cubes of cheese, dollop of hummus, handfuls of berries and slices of turkey, avocado or egg would pile neatly on a plate rather than being tossed into a salad or piled on a sandwich. Small, recognizable bites can be easier to recognize and assess as a newbie to food.
Involve them in helping to prepare the food. There’s a certain amount of pride and accomplishment in making your own meal. Foods that your child may be resistant to try when you cook may become fan favorites when they are involved in the mashing, the mixing, sampling and the baking.
Try something new Tuesdays. Remember the first time your child went down a slide? It became fun once they got over the initial fear and realized that it isn't so bad. When you prepare your child's favorite foods (or even new foods) in a different way or with new sides/ingredients, it alters the texture, taste, smell and may even make them more willing to experiment.
Two bite club. After you take the first two bites, picky eaters can become less resistant to try foods they have seen before. And after trying, less resistant to taking larger portions. Touching, tasting, playing, and yes even making a mess, is part of the learning process -- don't give up!! Have your picky eater join the 'two bite club' when it comes to new foods to gradually expand their palate.