We all know that some kids are very picky when it comes to eating. Many of them feel that healthy food is just not for them. Know any kids like that? I did not think so. Here are some great tips and ideas that will get your kids excited about what they are eating.
Being Creative
Kids love to be creative. They also like to be involved. Letting them help plan and yes even help prepare the meals will get them excited about the food they are eating. Kids love choices, and if they feel they get a choice, they are more likely to eat or try new things.
Kids Friendly Recipes
There are many great kid friendly recipes as well as creative ways to prepare healthy and delicious foods. Kids love food that is interesting to them. Most kids love pizza right? Many will even eat it with a few vegetables mixed in. Make individual pizza using refrigerator biscuits or English muffins.
Find food that they can help create and assemble. They will love foods they can personalize and make it their own way, even if it is a simple bowl of tomato soup. Have different bowls of crackers, cheeses or pepperoni they can throw in their bowl.
Choose recipes that are appealing. Most kids love French fries right? Why not fix up some healthy sweet potato fries or chicken strips using wheat germ as the crust with a healthy dipping sauce.
Shapes of Food
Another great idea is making shapes out of your food. The possibilities are endless.
Using a cookie cutter or using your own art skills cut a shape out of their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or chicken nuggets or virtually anything that can be shaped. Pancakes also make great shapes.
Animal and Bug Shapes
There are a lot of different ways to take fruit and even vegetables and make them into bug or animal shapes. For example, use an apple slice to make a lady bug. Use peanut butter as the glue and put raisins on the dots to make the spots. Ants on a log are another fun idea. Take celery and fill it will peanut butter and dot the inside with raisins. With a little creativity, your kids are more likely to eat their fruits and vegetables.
Disguises for food
A little bit of food coloring makes a perfect disguise. Add a drop or two to mashed potatoes and throw in small bits of broccoli and they would not even know they are eating vegetables. Again, kids love foods that are interesting to them.
Other easy and tasty dishes would be lasagna or spaghetti with shredded carrots or finely chopped broccoli.
Drinks
Every kid loves something they can sip on. A great way for them to get extra calcium and fruit is to make smoothies or milkshakes. Let them choose the fruits that sound good to them. You can also add small amounts of fresh vegetables to the drink without clouding the fruity taste. They might not ever notice that you have added something to their drink!
Many processed fruit drinks have a lot of added sugar. Find juices that are 100% fruit or vegetable juice. For a tasty frozen treat, you could make homemade freezer pops using the smoothie mix or fruit juices.
Conclusion
Yes, it does require a little creativity and maybe even a little disguise, but helping your children eat healthy is worth the effort.
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