As the parent of
two girls, ages 9 and 11, I’m always facing new challenges when it comes to
getting them to eat healthy. My older
daughter has been known to say, with a groan, “Oh no, what health kick are we
on now?” as they see me trying to sneak
kale into their afternoon smoothie. I
try to explain to them why it’s important to eat well, and for the most part
they get it, but that doesn’t mean they don’t whine for candy every night after
dinner!
It seems like
everywhere you turn these days, there’s a book or an article on how to “sneak”
veggies in to your kid’s diet. I agree
that it’s a great way to make sure that they’re getting adequate nutrition, but
is it really what’s best in helping them to make wise decisions? Is squash pureed into their spaghetti sauce
going to teach them anything about learning to like (or at least tolerate)
squash? I don’t think so.
I must admit that
I haven’t always been crazy about vegetables myself (alright, I’m still not),
but I’m a grown up and know that I need to make wise decisions for my health. I’m trying to help my girls learn those
lessons at an earlier age. Here are some
tips that I have found helpful:
*Only make one
meal (you’ve heard this one before)
So I don’t hear
about how they’re going to starve to death, I make sure that they like at least
one thing on their plate. But not enough
to fill up on—this is important, or they won’t have room for all that other
stuff! Then, they must try at least one
bite of everything else. They control
how much they eat—no threats about finishing what’s on your plate. But also, no dessert unless they have.
*Give them choices
I don’t give them
any choices at dinner for the sake of my own sanity, but if possible, let them
choose which fruit or vegetable they have at lunch. Same
at snack time. Slice up some fruit of
their choice, pair it with a handful of nuts that they’ve chosen, and maybe
some sliced carrots or cucumbers. You
say your child won’t choose any of these?
Let them know that’s all there is until the next meal. The change won’t be immediate, but you might
be surprised what they’ll begin to try.
*Limit how much
they eat throughout the day
This idea came
from my eleven-year-old. If you allow
your child to snack all day, then they won’t be hungry at mealtime. Have fairly set meal and snack times, and be
sure they stop eating at least an hour or an hour-and-a-half before dinner.
*Involve your
child in the prep work
He might be more
likely to eat something he’s helped to prepare.
*Grow your own
Start in the early
Spring, and have your child help you pick out seeds or starts. Involve them in the process of caring for the
garden, or even give them a small plot of their own to tend. If you don’t have a yard, perhaps you can put
out some pots. Lettuce is one of the
easiest plants to grow in a pot.
*Allow them sweets
in moderation
After all, what’s
life without dessert? My girls do get
dessert several times a week, just not every night. And I try and have a dessert with some
nutritional value, like fresh fruit over angel food cake. Even ice cream has calcium! Dessert, however, is never an option if they
haven’t eaten all of their dinner.
*Be patient!
These changes
won’t happen overnight, especially if your child really dislikes what’s best
for them, but rest assured—it will happen.
The trick is to stay consistent, and if they truly get the message that
this is how it is, they’ll come around.
They may never love squash, but they’ll learn to like enough to help
them make the choices they need to stay healthy.
Here are some
great snack ideas:
- Whole grain chips and salsa (Salsa counts as a veggie!)
- Homemade trail mix (whole grain goldfish crackers, unsalted almonds, and just a few M&M’s)
- String cheese with fruit
- Fresh veggies w/ a small amount of Ranch. Don’t even say anything when you set it out. Just put it at the kitchen table or counter while you’re fixing dinner. When you don’t suggest it first, you’d be surprised how much they’ll eat!
An example of a plate of fresh veggies set out for the girls
Munching away!
And the girls at dinner time:
Author bio: Wendy Fanello is the mother of two girls,
ages 9 and 11. When she's not busy taking kids to soccer, swimming, or
any of the other many activities, Wendy writes for an ultrasound website.
Read more fun articles at http://www.ultrasoundschoolsinfo.com/pregnancy-police/.
