Sometimes its hard to get kids to eat healthy foods here are some helpful suggestions:
The concept that ‘this is good for you’ has to be avoided completely, in conversation and energetically if your children are super sensitive.
Generally kids find food that is colourful, fun, attention-grabbing or ‘silly’ hard to resist, creative preparation and presentation are ways to get them involved.
Even though you may be tired, think of things that might make meal times unpredictable and therefore something that you will all look forward to. Themes may include: candles, best silver cutlery, dressing up, mystery guest cooks, maybe different eating locations in the house or garden, let your imagination go, get the children to come up with ideas too.
Offer a wide range of foods; serving meals buffet style allows choice, different needs and personal movement within the healthy structure you are providing. If they say ‘but I don’t like it’ then encourage them to a taste test, often they just think they don’t like it (cause it looks healthy!).
Get kids involved in the cooking process; they can wash and peel veggies, help stirring or beating eggs. Most kids love cooking! Snack on carrots and things while you cook and you will find that they will do the same, then at least even if they don’t eat it after its cooked, they have had a few healthy snacks before hand.
Before parties, prepare a favourite meal, this will get them more full so they don’t fill up on sugary junk foods, it will also help to keep there blood sugar a bit more stable.
Experiment with substitutes, such as honey, maple syrup, soy milk, nut milks, nut butters, whole grain and whole grain flour when baking, 100% fruit jam, carob, snacking on nuts/seeds and raisins.
Create a daily tradition around eating, especially at meal times, to convey that eating is important, maybe family time and that it deserves respect; eat together at the table, not in front of the television, with a relaxed atmosphere (as is possible).
Feast days! If there are things that have been restricted in the diet (for you and the kids) then there can be feast days. These days, ‘feast’ foods are commonly foods that are eaten every day. This isn’t to say that it’s an excuse to overindulge but just to enjoy. You will also find that the less sugar you and the children eat, the less you will want to eat it as it has a very addictive quality!
Things to try:
Fresh and dried fruit salads, can be cooked.
Fresh fruit blends and purees fresh or frozen.
Lassies and smoothies.
Put small 100% fruit juices in the freezer, a natural healthy icy-pop.
Freeze small natural yoghurts or fruit pieces, e.g. bananas or orange segments.
Fruit based desserts like apple and apricot crumble, strawberry tarts.
Fruit laden custards, e.g. stewed plums or guavas and custard.
Confectionery that’s mainly nuts, seeds or fruit, e.g. sesame halva, dried fruit squares.
Fresh fruit and vegetable juices – great colours and delicious!
Baked fruit, e.g. apples or pears baked with sultanas in apple juice with cinnamon.
Brown rice pudding.
Sardines on brown toast.
Brown rice with finely chopped vegies and mayonnaise or tomato sauce.
Chicken soup made with potato and lots of vegetables.
Vegetable sauces or purees, like green pea, beetroot, pumpkin, sweet potato, avocado, carrot, prepared with tahini, garlic, olive oil, yoghurt and many other delicious things.
Bolognese that’s got lots of vegetables in, same goes for pies, quiches, pasties.
Breakfast
Porridge (oats, maltabella, maize meal) with dried or fresh fruit.
Muesli with yoghurt.
Rye or sourdough toast or French toast. Spreads: almond butter, avocado, molasses, tahini, sardines. Scrambled egg on whole meal toast.
Lunch
Rye/sourdough sandwich with avocado, tomato, tzatziki, hommous, tuna, chicken.
Left-overs from dinner.
Soup in a small thermos flask.
After School
Rice cakes, oatcakes, Ryvita, corn thins, smoothie, yoghurt.
Fruit juice with half water. Fruit in season.
Calcium sources for growing bones.