Before I had Olivia, I used to hear parents talk about their childrens eating being one of their main concerns. I never knew how hard it would be until I had Olivia – and she’s just 10 months old and only just making her way through the weaning stages.
One of the biggest questions parents of babies, toddlers and school children ask is “How do you get your kids to eat such healthy foods?!”. Then there are some struggle to enjoy food at all, which is the real battle.
Many will be envious of other parents, when they see their kids eating healthy foods without a fight. I for one can see myself saying “You are so lucky your kids eat so healthy!”.
I decided to do some research into this because at the moment, I can only really get Olivia to eat sweet foods. Basically, if healthy foods are all she knows, it will make things a million times better. Of course, this will take a lot of work and time to prep, making healthy options for every meal.
Again, it comes down to time, money and help, too. It can be expensive and time zapping to make 3 nutritious meals a day for a family. But after studying this topic online a little and speaking to other mums and those with the knowledge, being consistent with food is key and modelling for your kids is so important too.
It’s advised to eat the same dinners as your kids, of course often adding extra raw greens, spices, etc to your own. But it’s the fact they see you eating the same veggies that they eat that is said to help. At the end of the day, it’s down to us as parents to feed them and expose them to certain foods.
It’s also worth noting that the more exposure to different food groups, like dairy products, wheat and grains, can give you any indications of allergies, too. It’s always best to have an idea as early on as possible if your child has any intolerances or allergies to gluten or dairy for example.
If they do, it’s much less of a concern these days as there are so many variations for them. You can get so many alternatives to dairy milk, like oat, soya and almond to name a few. You can also get desserts and baked goods that are gluten free. It might be that also, you as a parent follow a vegan lifestyle, and want your kids to do the same. Again, it needn’t have it’s struggles – there are so many vegan options out there that bringing children up on a Vegan diet doesn’t cause any disruptions. You can even get fantastic vegan and gluten free birthday cakes and celebration food easily now, so children don’t miss out on treat days too!
So, if you’re looking to get your kids to start enjoying food more, enjoying healthier foods or adapting to a vegan/gluten free diet, take a little look at some foodie tips below which can apply…
Take your kids food shopping
I used to enjoy going round supermarkets when I was little. Now I did love the sweet aisle, but that aside, if you let your kids pick out some of the fun, fresh produce, then they may just get them a little more excited about eating it! You can say things like, help me pick out the brightest orange carrots, or find us some plump tomatoes. Then when back home, show the veggies they picked out and meal prep together. Of course, this works on older children.
Show them alternative food options
If you are aware that your child may have a gluten intolerance, or you want them to take up a vegan lifestyle, you will need to show them that they are absolutley not missing out on foods. Introduce them to gluten free food options, or vegan versions which means they don’t miss out.
You can now get some absolutely incredible birthday and occasion cakes that are gluten free and vegan. They are just as fabulous and delicious tasting.
If you have little girls, I’m sure they would go crazy for the best-selling Unicorn cake, as pictured below
The pastry chefs at Happy Cake have gone above and beyond with this beautiful looking unicorn birthday cake, complete with its immaculate white sugar paste surrounded by a pretty pink satin ribbon (or the color of your choice). It’s then topped with a large flowered horn that the birthday girl can keep in memory of a fun birthday party! It’s the ultimate Unicorn cake delivered at home.
Limit snacks when out and about
I know this is a difficult one, but if your kids are eating normal, good sized meals, they shouldn’t need too many snacks. And when they do eat too many snacks, then they obviously they aren’t going to eat much during their meals. It’s wise to stick to eating three meals a day, and of course, if one of them means having a pudding afterwards, then that’s fine every now and again. It should then mean your children aren’t begging for biscuits an hour later.
I heard about a mum who said if her kids don’t finish their smoothies at breakfast, she saves them in the fridge and makes them drink them before they eat anything else that day. She wanted to make sure they get those greens from the smoothies, and if they are truly hungry, they won’t have a problem finishing them first.
Of course, snacks sometimes can’t be avoided. If you are away from home and have a long day, or whatever happens where snacks are needed, make sure the go to snacks contain some veggies/fruits. Cucumbers, bell peppers, snap peas, apples, pears, bananas and frozen blueberries. If your kids are hungry, they will eat these things. If you child is struggling, try dipping the veggies in hummus and the apples in nut butter, which might help too.
I have just bought baby rice cakes for Olivia to try this week, and as she’s not a great eater, I’ll be trying some cheese spread or butter on them to try and get her to nibble them.
Remember when kids go to birthday parties, they are naturally going to want to snack and eat the crisps, cake and other unhealthy foods. If you can, try to feed them beforehand so they aren’t too hungry, which could lead to over eating sweet things. But remember a little slice of birthday cake is all part of the fun, too.
The nature of the world we live in now means that there are a lot of snacks which are high in sugar and fat, and sadly, it’s easy to grab them for an easier life. Just bear in mind grabbing some apples or cucumbers and bringing them with you chopped up in tupperware doesn’t cost half as much!
Bigger meals/fewer options
I am a big believer in the old school idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you can make sure your children start the day with something like a green smoothie, or healthy porridge with fresh juice, they are getting their day off to a great start.
If you are trying to be a plant based family, it could be worth getting your kids into eggs, along with juice and smoothies. For breakfast, you can serve up two eggs, and experiment with some pancakes with fruit toppings or yoghurt, oatmeal or even sweet potatoes.
Hide the veggies
Last but not least, if you still can’t get your kids to enjoy eating healthy things like vegetables and fruits, try to hide the, in various smoothies or bakes! Make up cute names for foods and sauces based on what your kids are into and make meals special and fun! It can be a tough challenge, but if you approach it relaxed, and try to be patient and creative where possible, there’s every chance your little one will start to appreciate and enjoy food the way you want them to.
