With the start of the school year, I try to really stress to my family the importance of eating healthy. While we tend to slack a bit in the summer with our frequent ice cream trips or beach foods, we are now ready to embark on eating a lot more clean! While we are eating more healthier at home, I get worried what is supplied to my children at school. Did you know that by the time a kindergartener finishes high school, he/she will have eaten 2,300 school lunches, making the opportunity to impact childhood nutrition in schools very real?
This is why I am very excited to support the Whole Kids Foundation on their mission to support eating healthy in schools nationwide! Whole Kids Foundation™ , is a nonprofit committed to improving childhood nutrition by increasing the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables, both at schools and at home. The foundation just kicked off its annual fundraiser to support school salad bar and garden grant programs and nutrition education classes for teachers.
Did you know that replacing one meal a day for a salad could translate into the reduction of 100 calories per day? That’s 10-pounds in one year!
The Whole Kids Foundation is on a mission to help out! Now through its annual fundraiser this September, the foundation hopes to raise $3 million to help schools across the country make healthier changes in the lunchroom and classroom through its three key programs: salad bars, gardens and nutrition education classes for teachers. The foundation has funded 2,600 salad bars and 1,600 school gardens giving more than 2.2 million kids access to healthier food since its inception in 2011. Whole Kids Foundation’s School Garden Grant Program, created in partnership with FoodCorps, is accepting applications now through Oct. 31. and applications for the Salad Bar Grant Program are accepted on an ongoing basis at wholekidsfoundation.org or saladbars2schools.org.
Whole Foods Market shoppers can also partake in the monthlong fundraising by:
- Purchasing products from participating brands that give back including: Mrs. Meyers; Yellow 108; Peeled Snacks; Red Jacket Orchards; and High Mowing Organic Seeds. One percent of proceeds from each sale of these brands’ products at select Whole Foods Market will benefit Whole Kids Foundation programs.
- Making a donation at the register during check out
- Texting “SALAD” to 20222 to donate $10 to support additional salad bar grants to schools
- Visiting Whole Kids Foundation online to donate and find ways to get involved at wholekidsfoundation.org
I was asked to create a salad recipe to support eating healthy and their initiative. I decided to tell you the recipe for our nightly recipe that we eat with most of our meals. It is simple, delicious, and easy to make!!
Ingredients:
-5 grapes cut up
– 1/2 cup goat cheese
-3/4 cup spinach salad
-1/2 avocado cut into small 2 inch pieces
-2 TBLS olive oil
-2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
Directions:
-1. Mix together the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Then add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl.
3. Toss #2 over #3 and serve!
Simple, right?!
Will you help support the Whole Foods Initiative today?!
Win it: **Giveaway: One winner will receive a $50 Whole Foods Gift Card. This giveaway is run via rafflecopter so please click read more to see the actual giveaway. The only mandatory entry is to tell me some tips for getting your kids to eat healthier. Please put comments in comment section proceeding the post. While the other entries are optional, I highly suggest you filling them out to increase your chances of winning. Good luck!**
*We received a gift card in exchange for this post. All my opinions are my own and not swayed by outside sources.
My kids are more likely to eat fresh fruits and veggies if they are hungry when I serve them. “Mom, I’m hungry” is often heard about 15 minutes before the meal is ready. Rather than giving them something junky to eat or listen to them nag, I cut whatever fresh veggies or fruits I have on hand and set them on the table. The kids will usually give those a try.
i make a lot of casseroles with veggies mixed in as well as fruit veggie smoothies, thanks!
I sneak veggies into my son’s favorite meal, spaghetti.
When it comes to vegetables, try dipping sauces.
Be excited yourself! If they can see you are excited to go apple picking, making a new healthy recipe, having them help you with foods they like such as making their own pizza, etc. it helps!
I don’t buy junk food therefore they have no choice to choose healthy snacks.
Hide them! I make green smoothies and they have no idea they are full of good stuff. They think it’s something the Hulk would drink. 🙂
I try to encourage them to be healthier by being a good example, serving a different vegetable with meals every day and creating fruit and vegetable snacks
Let them do the shopping! Our Whole Foods and Trader Joes have small carts. I let them push the carts and add in items that they want. The junkier food is all at our eye level not the kids so they get a lot of vegetables and fruits in the cart. (For whatever reason, the hot dogs at both of these local stores are on the top shelf)
One tip to keep my kids eating healthy is not buying the other stuff and I started them at an early age!
My tip is to make smoothies and load them with fresh fruits and veggies
My children are grown and they always liked vegetables.I used to make mixed veggie salads with every meal.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Make smoothie. Add veggies and fruit into and they would enjoy it.
I try to teach him that eating the rainbow is good.
My kids can’t have any dessert or treat after dinner unless they try everything on their plate.
Sometimes before dinner, when they’re really hungry, I serve them cut-up veggies. It’s amazing how many they’ll eat if that’s the only option! Also, we don’t give them many processed foods.
Always have healthy snacks available and get them involved in the making of the food.
I just always have veggies and/or fruits at every meal & I have keep trying things until they get used to it. They also like to eat things more if they helped make it.
always round out meals!
It’s important to keep healthy foods on hand, so that when they’re hungry, they will reach for foods that are good for them.
We never characterized veggies as yucky. My daughter still eats frozen veggies. Yes. She eats them frozen.
all but 1 of my 4 kids actually like veggies and fruits. The one who is picky, I have to just sneak it blended into his food. He actually will look in his food to see if there is anything “funny” in it, but if it’s blended, he’s none the wiser 🙂
My daughter was pretty picky when she was little, I would always allow her to choose veggies and fruits when we were at the store and at home. Its proven kids will eat what they pick out more than if the parent does the choosing.
Have healthy snacks on hand.
By example…if I eat healthy…they will
Healthy foods should always taste like they’re not healthy!
I often roast vegetables, which gives them a great, caramelized taste, and makes them more appealing.
We always have fresh fruit on hand to munch on when we get hungry.
My wife always serves veggies and fruit with each meal
Give them water with their meals, and always serve veggies.
My kids love smoothies. I can sneak a handful of spinach into a fruit smoothie and they don’t even taste it!!
I have them go for walks with me and I dress up vegetables with cheese or butter so they are more apt to eat them.
I try and explain the value of eating healthy for when they are older
Use a colorful variety – presentation!!~
A lot of the healthy foods are better tasting these days… instead of unhealthy desserts we have granola bars because they have so many different flavors and they’re delicious!
Good presentation helps! Make it look cute or funny or…
My 3 year-old has always loved eating healthy foods. If you start them early they will eat healthy!
Exposing them to different foods vegi’s and fruts help.
Dips are the key. I make healthy ones like hummus or ones based on Greek yogurt and the fruits and veggies disappear.
Use colorful fruits and veggies.
I don’t have kids, but I sneak veggies into my niece’s food.
I like to give my son ranch to dip his veggies in he will usually eat them that way.
I commented on https://www.the-mommyhood-chronicles.com/2013/09/wendys-chicken-flatbread-sandwiches-are-amazing-and-6secondsflat-sweepstakes/#comment-354755
Let them help you cook healthy foods. Kids are more likely to eat healthy if they get to help cook it.
If they wont eat it, put cheese on it
My grandchildren love raw veggies, so I try to keep them on hand, but when it comes to cooked veggies, they have to be hidden in spaghetti sauce, chili, meatloaf and the like
I offer healthy foods
to not tell them that it’s healthy, tell them it tastes good!
I sneak veggies and make sure they me and hubby eating fresh fruits and veggies and say how yummy they are *very loudly* of course!
I hide fruits and veggies in things!
Let them pick out their own healthy snack at the store.
I puree veggies and put them in soups and casseroles. My daughter doesn’t have a clue that she is eating so many veggies.
We form cute shapes and designs for my littlest niece and disguise certain veggies in things such as pancakes and fruit in oatmeal. 🙂
I show by example. If they see me eating healthy, then hopefully they will see that and do the same!
My tip to get kids involved in preparing their meals both in the kitchen and by allowing to pick what healthy foods they’d like at the store.
Get them involved in picking healthy fruits and veggies and preparing them
I always tell my son that vegetables and fruits will help him grow strong and get muscles. This usually does the trick! 😉
Add veggies in different dishes
Get the kids to be part of the choices and let them cook with you.
be a good example
By stocking the home with healthy foods.
My dip is to give them dip with veggies.
This would be awesome for a college student like me. This would help me out so much since I am having the hardest time looking for jobs.
Serve fruits & vegetables as snacks.
you can not do the alexa it is not supported it says
we like to sprinkle cheese on different veggies or use spices to enhance the flavors then they eat them
We like to include lots of colorful veggies with all of our meals.
Fruit is easy – the kids love most fruits as is. Then there are smoothies, salads, in/with yogurt, cereall pears, grapes and apples are all great with fruits – and if there are no allegies – open face sandwiches of peanut (or other nut/seed) butter topped with bananas or apples. And then of course, there are fruit desserts… : – )
Veggies are harder – but it will help ENORMOUSLY and make a HUGE difference that will Last their ENTIRE LIVES of you:
1. Start them out with fresh, delicious, well prepared (cook and/or raw) vegetable and veggie dishes.
2. A lot of kids will be more open to ANYTHING with a little (OK a lot?) of cheese on it.
3. REALLY LIKE salad, veggies and healthy foods yourself. Don’t assume and therefore send out a signal ahead of time that they are about to taste something yukky.
4. NEVER feed your kids vegetable (and other healthy foods) as if it were some kind of PUNISHMENT and that Dessert is their Reward for doing something so awful.
4, DON’T teach your kids to automatically assume that if it is “good for you” it is going to taste BAD. Just look at how many adults spend their whole lives believing that!
Believe it or not, liking/CRAVING junky greasy/ fried, oversalted, sugary sweet foods IS an acquired and LEARNED/taught taste and behavior,
which is not to say that we don’t have a perfectly natural taste for sweet, salty and fried foods. It’s just that there are GOOD one and BAD ones. Giving up JUNK food does not mean giving up delicious well balanced foods of all kinds. As my Grandma use to say, “You Are What You Eat.” Think about it.
Use common sense (or whatever residual common sense that you have after all of your bad for your learned tastes! A little common sense – it really does does go a long way.
OOPs – I guess I got carried away – but in another way – all the tips are really only ONE TIP.
Comment on Elmo (and Zane!) ; – )
https://www.the-mommyhood-chronicles.com/2013/09/playskool-sesame-street-lullaby-and-goodnight-elmo/#comment-355204
I try to set a good example and eat my fruits and veggies, thanks!
teach them to cook good foods.
I try to present the food in a fun way. Make funny faces with the food, or fun shapes.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
Disguise! Disguise! Disguise! It’s the only way for us.
I make Smoothies for my kids
Always include vegetables and fruits in their diet
start them early and they will always like them
Don’t give them the temptation by buying it in the first place. Teaching them to grow foods is also great
and by it I mean junk food!
I grill the veggies!
Make smoothies.
cook them the healthy foods they enjoy, or hide veggies pureed in sauces
Find ways to hide veggies in everyday dishes like mac and cheese, and make healthy fruit dip to go with apples and grapes.
button is cindywindylovesblogsnfrogs.blogspot.com
Always make sure snacks are healthy. If they only want junk food, then they aren’t really hungry!
I make sure that my kids get their vegetables before they eat any other part of their meal.
Pack their lunches and pack good stuff!
Let them help you choose and prepare the fruits/vegetables. It makes it more interesting for them to want to eat.
Involve them in shopping and preparing meals.
Thanks for the chance.
i just tell them its really bad for you and they shouldnt eat too much of it – right now its working – until they catch on
Have her Cousin eat it beside her and she will atleast try it
Pouches will get my son to eat just about anything!!!
Have them help me prepare the food, if they help make it there is a better chance of them liking it.
It’s all in the presentation. If it looks like fun, they are more apt to eat.
I lead by example and make their food creative looking like shapes and etc.
Add veggies IN dishes 😉
I puree veggies and put them in sauces.
I give them veggies they like only, dont force them to eat things they hate.
cheese on veggis
I make funny foods!
I have a hard time getting my little one to eat healthy recently, so some of these tips in the comments are great. I’ve been going as far as bribing him in order to get him to eat healthy food. Terrible, I know.
I make delicious smoothies- and sneak some spinach and carrots in! 🙂
just don’t buy junk food
Don’t force it. Lead by example. Eat the way you should and the kids will follow
Turn it into snacks and “fun” food
My cutting up their favorite fruit and making a fruit salad
pre cut fresh fruit and veggies for an easy grad!
grow and pick their own veggies!
Give them small portions of all different kinds of fruits and vegetables. In smaller portions the kids I watch are much more likely to eat more healthier foods.
have them eat the nutritious food first before serving the main course/main food item
I try to hide the vegetables in different foods by pureeing them plus my kids will eat certain vegetables I’m lucky
Let them help pick out some fruits n healthy snacks as you grocery shop…let them be involved…TY
My kids love veggies from the garden!
you can put veggies into anything if you cut them small
Serve fruit or veggies with every meal
Dessert in our house is always a piece of fruit.
At least once a month, usually more my kids pick out a new veggie or fruit to try.
I usually hide healthy foods in dishes they like.
I started early feeding my kids fruits and vegetables. They still love them.
Let them help garden. Children love to try what they grow.
i make foods where it is easy to hide veggies in like spaghetti sauce
Lead by example and make eating healthy foods look and seem enjoyable.
My kids love fruits and veggies, so I guess I am lucky.
I make smoothies with kale and spinach and fresh fruit – my little guy loves them. I also do muffins with tons of veggies and a little bit of fruit or carob chips.
acartwrightmorell at gmail dot com
I let them help prepare the food and they will eat it.
Only have healthy snack options available, and we pack our own lunch and snacks.
I try to have healthy snacks on hand for my teens, such as fresh fruit and vegetables with dips. Also, I sometimes sneak veggies into dishes such as spaghetti sauce or chili.
Use sauces and dips for fruits and vegetables
Add veggies to smoothies.!!
My kids have always eaten healthy. I make them eat at least 3 small bites and if they dont like it after those 3 bites they dont have to eat it. Usually after those 3 bites they love it anyway 🙂
Simply slice up colorful fruit on a plate…it’s irresistible.
I like to offer diverse food colors to my kids because they always want to eat colorful food.
My tip is to make healthy cookies like oatmeal raisins.
Grow your own veggies so they see where they come from, also make them into fun and creative creatures
We just got a vitamix so we hope to include some more veggies in smoothies.
One way I get my son to eat healthier is to let him help cook it.
I tell my son he needs to try a bit of everything, you never know what you will like.
let them help. let them play. it takes a child 12-15 times around a food before trying it.
everything’s better with cheese on it
Get them to help pick out the veggies to try and then help in the cooking too and they will be way excited to try it.
We try different methods of eating, like using chop sticks they concentrate on what they are doing not what they are eating. Great way to get them to try new things 🙂
We try to lead by example but as they get older it’s tougher.
I love the Deceptively Delicious cookbook. We also make sure they eat plain old, non hidden veggies and fruit too by making it fun. Sometimes it’s all about presentation. Smiling pepper mouths with olive eyes, snow covered (ranch) little trees (broccoli), etc.
For PB&J’s I use almond butter. I also replace the bread with a whole grain wrap and add fresh strawberries and bananas!! Yum!!!!!
I try to only have healthy options in the house for snacks so that unhealthy options aren’t even available
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
dont have children but mix healthy foods into your meals and they’ll never know! (flax seed in burger meat, pureed carrots in a soup, diced mushrooms mixed in taco meat and you’ll never taste it!)
My kids always had fruit for “dessert”… they didn’t know any better until they were old enough that they didn’t have too much of a junkfood habit.
Smoothies and fruits and veggies for snacks.
I add vegetables to eggs, pasta, and on top of pizza and let them make their own fruit smoothies.
We serve vegetable with every meal and fruit is in their lunches everyday.
I never offered my kids anything but healthy snacks,they don’t know it exists if they don’t see it. as they get older,they choose fresh veggies and fruit and prefer water.
My tip is to get them involved and let them choose items in the store.
I lead by example… having a role model that eats veggies and fruits is great for kids to see.
start them early with eating healthy food. and eat healthy yourself.
start your child eating healthy as soon as they can eat solid foods, so they will be use to it
Parents should set a good example by eating healthy and explain proteins, carbs, good and bad fats, etc.
Just be honest and tell them why you are feeding them healthy foods. This actually helped with my boys, ages 3-7!
Let them help you shop & cook. If they are a part of the process, they will be more open to new foods.
Serve food in fun cut-out shapes.
Make the healthy foods taste good. Also, do not make it a big deal, begging them or offering them things to eat the food. Just make it like any other meal..and feed it to them. There are A LOT Of healthy meals that taste great!
They definitely are happier eating foods they normally wouldn’t when they “cook” it too.
We grow our own garden, so the kids love eating what they grew!
we make our plates very colorful and also make smoothies
I hide vegetables in things so my daughter will eat them 🙂
Cook healthy foods. Can’t eat healthy if you don’t cook healthy.
We like to eat fruit in my family, and my kids enjoy helping me pick it out at the store.
Offer lots of variety of healthy foods
Hide veggies in their meals!
Let them see you’re eating the same healthy foods.
use cookie cutters to cut slices of cucumbers and pita bread into fun shapes!
use veggies with pasta or in casserole where they might not be as visible and cut fruits and veggies in fun cute shapes especially for lunch! Plus frozen grapes are especially good!
Stews are good for mingling vegetables with the other ingredients.
let them help you pick out healthy groceries and cook with you
be creative and set a good example
by making snack choices healthy ones!
Having them help pick and/or prepare food. The more involved they are, the more adventurous they seem to be.
I don’t keep “junk” food in the house AT ALL. Junk includes sodas, cookies, cake, Little Debbies, ice cream, juice, sweet tea, etc.
We have water or milk with 90% of our meals. And those junk foods are called “sometimes” foods. Yes, my kids can have them, but only sometimes.
Desserts are fruit or other things that taste sweet but are healthy.
I let them help prepare the food. They love that, and will eat something they have helped with more readily.
Have fruits and veggies precut and ready to go. We have been a vegetarian family for 15 years.
Must eat right yourself…learn by example
I introduce the healthy food when they are really hungry. They are much more willing to try it then. I also sneak veggies into soup, chili, etc.
ninigossett@gmail.com
My tip is to lead by example. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and my son has always liked them too.
we always used junk food as just a very rare treat. my kids would rather have string cheese, yogurt, celery & peanut butter or something similar instead of sugary snacks. if you start young and do not cave to the fast food industry, your kids will make the right choices when older. thanks for such a very nice giveaway!
Make food fun and give them choices!
When my kids were younger, I used to hide veggies in meatloaf or other meats that could be ground.
My kids eat healthier when we grow the veggies ourselves. Also, when they help prepare the food they seem to be more invested.
Make it fun! Roll up PB&J like sushi and cut out fun shapes!
Never had a problem with getting them to eat healthy. I guess my tip would be to introduce veggies first, if veggies are the first thing you know, you don’t question it. Worked on both of my boys.
Eat sweet fruits if veggies don’t taste good. Better than cookies!
I get my children (both under 5) to participate in the cooking process. Both children love helping cook dinner by peeling garlic, husking corn-on-the-cob, or doing other simple tasks.
I put a fridge lock on since our 3 year old was constantly trying to get in to get ice cream sandwiches!
I always try to get the kids to help with meal prep, they seem to be more interested in eating when they have helped prepare. Thanks
I tend to cover the veggies with cheese if possible.
my tip is that it’s all in the presentation. My kids will try anything that looks like it’s fun to eat i.e. cauliflower arranged on toothpicks like a snow man with cheese sauce for dipping
My kids just want to eat healthy on their owns but if I need to help them I will usually give them a dip for their veggies.
To always try new foods at least once, if you dont like it thats fine but at least you tried it!
My children love homemade soup. So if there’s a vegetable that I can’t get them to eat I just cut it up and place it in the soup.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I set the example for them.
Present healthy snacks in a fun and easy-to-eat way.
Cut vegetables and fresh fruit into strips and serve with either creamy salad dressing dip or peanut butter dip.
I have found in my experience that children are more likely to eat and try new foods especially if it looks good :}
I started giving my daughter fruits and veggies very early on and now she loves them.
That green veggies keep the bad things out of their body
Puree vegetables and put in sauces and smoothies
One tip to get your kids to eat healthier is to only offer fruit or vegetables as snacks between meals if they are hungry. This cuts down some on in between meal snacking and get’s more servings of healthy fruit and vegetables in their diet.
My tip is to have them help in the preparation of the food. If they help, they are more likely to eat it.
I quit buying potato chips and instead buy fresh broccoli celery, carrots and cauliflower and serve with a ranch veggie dip.
I started having him cook dinner with me!
I slip healthy foods into their meals. haha
Puree veggies into tomato sauce for spaghetti.
My kids are more likely to eat fruit salad instead of individual fruits, like apples.
Kids love food games and finger foods.
Start them early on healthy foods. They learn to love and enjoy them. People are amazed at how many different fruits and veggies my grandkids like.!
Incorporate healthy foods in your daily lifestyle and stay away from junk food and they will more likely stick with those eating habits.
I don’t buy junk food or soda or sweetened fruit juice. Only cook homemade meals. That’s all they’ve ever known and they love it.
Start them early and make sure they are getting veggies at every meal. Grow a garden for veggies and have them help.
Don’t keep unhealthy snacks in the house and never take kids shopping!
Let them help pick which foods
The parents must eat healthy foods. Kids learn best when the parents lead by example.
never put out what you dont want your kids to eat, always put out healthy snacks, my kids love cucumbers, celery with ranch dressing.
I don’t keep junk food in the house and try to keep the fridge stocked with healthy snacks like baby carrots, apples etc.
I add extra veggies to everything I cook, including smoothies, and make a lot of breads with veggies in them.
I keep baggies of finely chopped veggies that get added into different recipes/sauce without them knowing.
I think focusing on that “you’ll like…” aspect instead of the “you must…” aspect helps get kids to try things and not dig in their hills to refuse healthy foods just for the sake of refusal.
i keep fresh fruit on hand
The kids like cheese and make casseroles with cheese and add veggies.
i serve them with dips
Eat good you will grow big and strong like Dad. Works every time since he looks up to him as his super hero.
Sneak vegetables into foods. I chop up salad mix and put it on tacos. I use veggie pasta. I mix broccoli into casseroles.
Provide them with choices and make sure they have the opportunity to try all foods!
Vegetables with healthy homemade dipping sauces.
My tip to have kids eating healthier is to have them cook the food that they chose, and guide them in the choices.
What is one tip to get your kids to eat healthier?
no kids…eat more veggies like celery
Have all kinds of fruits and veggies already cut up and easily accessible for snacks and offer a variety of tasty dips with them, let them eat and dip with fingers, toothpicks, chopsticks, anything that makes it fun.
We give my boyfriend’s daughter fruit or vegetables as a snack with her lunch!
We always keep fruit around and try to limit sugary snacks
i let them dip things in Ranch Dip, then slowly give them less and less ranch each time
Frozen yogurt – they think it’s ice cream; or freezing fruit in yogurt for a cold, frozen snack.
I don’t buy junk food or soda. I serve vegetables at every dinner.
I keep veggies interesting with herbed or honey butters, the use of salad dressing or a little melted cheese- I’d rather the doctored veggies be eaten than none at all.
I try to encourage them to be healthier by being a good example!
sneak the good stuff in! example smoothies or black bean brownies.. yum!
Don’t buy junk. Buy real food and lead by example.
Never nag, it makes kids grumpy, serve small colorful portions, if they are real hungry, they will ask for more!!
Serve individual portions baggies or plastic containers) of healthy snack foods (vegetables and fruits) so the kids can eat on the go when they choose. And serve healthy drinks like milk or vegetable drinks.
Offer good food. Period. Just don’t offer junk.
My one tip is don’t buy junk. If you don’t buy it, it’s impossible for the family to eat it. Stick with good wholesome foods!
I let them pick what healthy foods they want. If they pick a junk food, we find a healthier alternative.
Hide them in stews!
I buy frozen fruit which they’ll try more readily than fresh.
I have a couple of kids who don’t like whole FRUIT sometimes, much to my complete shock. So I do smoothies for them. Then, some don’t like many veggies unless they have a sauce on them be it cheese or white sauce. So I try to make the thing so they will relish it.
fruit is always available as well as cut washed raw veggies
Lead by example!
Start them eating healthily YOUNG! Plus, sneaking veggies and fruits in smoothies with fun names/colors make them easier to handle for those super finicky little ones.
Lots of salad
Gardening is an awesome way to help encourage kids to eat healthy. When the kids pick out what to grow, water and take care of the plants they are super excited to eat what they’ve grown.
We make smoothies and we change up the dips for our veggies!
I agree with others, saying that you should start them young. I also like to give my kids plenty of options. If I give them two different veggies, I only make them eat one. If they like both, great! If not, at least I know they’re getting some!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
make it fun! also, smoothies are a great way to get more veggies in
Get them involved in the meal planning process so they can help choose healthy fruits and veggies.
make soup with all kinds of veggies in it. Thats the only way I can get a bunch of veggies in them
I introduced them to trees and dip (broccoli and mushrooms) and they really enjoyed dipping away.
bribes work in our household
brich22 at earthlink dot net
Dish it out!
I only give my kids healthy options, they don’t have a choice.
They can’t have dessert until they eat everything on their plate.
Make the food on the plate look fun! Make the meal look like a flower or a boat or just about anything. The kids will love it!
I described the vitamins and other “good for you things” in the foods that we ate, and it worked. My kids now thank me for teaching them so much about nutrition, and encouraging them to eat foods that were good for them.
I always have fresh fruit and vegetables clean and ready to eat so when my son gets hungry he’ll go for them instead of something unhealthy
let them help pick it out at the store
making smoothies with veggie and fruit juice makes it fun for them and you can try to hide some of the strong veggie taste
i just eat healthy and they follow my lead. if they dont know it is “bad” they wont question it.
I always keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. Having our own garden is also helpful and our son plants his own little garden himself. He loves picking his “own” produce that we can fix for meals and snacks.
One tip to get kids to eat healthier is to limit snacks and deserts. Thanks for the giveaway!
A nice healthy variety of foods. Kids tend to get picky when you give them the one thing they want all of the time.
Really I just make it available.. I make it easier to eat something fresh and filling than to eat something empty.
Have handy snacks that are reasonably healthy: cheese sticks, almonds, pickles, fruit
I hide veggies in fun stuff like brownies!
Eat healthy foods yourself! Kids will see that eating healthful foods is normal, and they will go along with it!
keep veggies colorful and in fun arrangements
Make it colorful and fun and let them help
One tip to make kids eat healthier is to introduce one healthy item at a time and give them time first to like it before introducing another item.
I only pack healthy school snacks.
Put veggies in everything and start them early on healthy eating. We also use common names like “candy bar” for healthier items like Larabars.
Show them fun ways to eat healthy food. Cooking with them, planning shopping lists, letting them help pick the best apples, etc at the food store. Involvement is key!
Make healthy foods into fun shapes or arrange them into fun shapes/patterns.
We keep tons of fresh fruit and veggies at hand for the kids to snack on. The most important thing to keeping kids eating healthy is to just not bring in unhealthy things. They will eat healthy if it is what they are given!
I like hiding veggies they don’t like eating in meals and I also lead by example and eat healthy myself!
Thank you for the chance to win!
I find that if I act like veggies are bad for you, they want to eat them, they usually do the opposite of what I want ha
I make pasta dishes with vegetables in it and they love it.
I get the kids involved in making the food as well as making food selections in the grocery store. It’s a win-win.
Serve kids different colored vegetables in kid size bites.
I don’t have any tips my son always loved fruits & veggies now he is a vegan
I try to encourage them to be healthier by being a good example and by buying healthy groceries
I don’t have children but in my mom’s classroom they try to make fun things out of the food and do fun activities with it. jessicapeeling@yahoo.com
let them eat raw veggies with dip
We juice and they don’t even notice the veggies!
i set the best possible example i can and have lots of healthy foods on hand!
I hide veggies in other foods.
My tip is to have fruits and veggies cut up and easily accessible for the kids to grab and snack on.
I try to have only orange juice and milk on hand for my grandkids to drink instead of sodas.
I think the best way to get kids to eat healthy is by setting a good example, and by buying healthy foods at the grocery store and planning the meals out in advance so you are not stuck to fast food options.
I leave cut up fruits and veggies in the fridge so they are easy for the kids to grab when they are looking for a snack.
Thanks!
It’s all about variety & choices.
Set an example by doing it yourself!
Make them try everything.
That’s hard but it helps if they have a friend that likes something they would never try, we tell our daughter to try things all the time but if a friend eats something it suddenly becomes ok to eat lol
Lead by example..If you tell them to do something you have to do it too.
I find that the best way is to eat the way I want them to eat, works about half the time.
Start them as early as possible, it seems to make it easier growing up.
keep healthy snacks not sugar filled.
get them involved in the meal prep.
Let the kid’s pick the recipe (out of a selection of healthy options), help with the shopping, the prep, cooking and serving. The more they are involved, the more pride they will take in it and the more likely they will try and like the food!
Put things like zucchini in cakes and muffins. It keeps them moist and it’s oh so good.
Thanks for the giveaway…tea, water, or milk are the beverage choices at our place: carbonated soft drink beverages are for special occasions only i.e. birthday party, etc.; also, we serve vegetables and/or fruit with every meal.
Set a good example by eating a lot of fruits and vegetables around them.
Let them help pick out good foods and then help with making it.
Thanks for the contest.
I try to make healthy food in a way that it will be tasty to them.
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i mash vegetables like cauliflower and cut vegetables into pasta sauces to disguise them
You’ve got to lead by example!
I feed them healthy food and encourage them to eat healthily.
Try to add some puréed foods to spaghetti sauces!
If I cut the vegetables up and put them where the kids can get them then they will eat those instead of sugary foods.
Have a lot of healthy snacks handy so when they get the urge to snack you have something that isn’t bad (and ideally good) for them.
cucumber salad – sweet and healthy!
I would definitely say to make smoothies and put in a lot of fruits while incorporating veggies also!
Only offer healthy choices!
I try to get creative and changing things up with healthy ingredients.
Only buy healthy snacks, instead of the sugary, processed stuff. Kids will eat it if it’s in the house.
I buy lots of fruit and cut them up so that they are readily available to snack on.
I had read that trying new, healthy foods makes you smarter, so that did it.
start them young. My two grandsons LOVE red and green peppers, snack on them all the time since they were 1
My kids will eat anything if I put cheese on it!
My daughter loves broccoli so her meals mainly consist of a plate full of broccoli, no joke!
Lead by example.
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