Getting your kids to eat healthy foods………
Across Facebook and Mommy blogs this is a constant topic of struggle for so many families. How do you do it so many people ask? Well I will give you the simple yet effective steps I have taken in my home to get my children to eat healthily! It should really be as simple as saying to your child, “Eat this! I am your mom and you do as I say”. As most of us moms have learned if we say something like that to our children will do the exact opposite, if you have hard headed children like I do! So I have taken a different approach, and I haven’t come to this conclusion overnight. I started out as a young mom, 23, and knew what I was doing for the most part but like all of us we learn and grow as we get older. I now feel like I really know what I want for my children and family and strive daily to give them the best!
The first way to get them to eat healthy food is…….
1. Have ONLY healthy foods available!
It is really that simple. If there is only good food to choose from then they can only eat good foods. Now for each of us it may be different as to what we consider healthy and allowable. I will leave that up to you. If you don’t want them eating fruit snacks for a snack then don’t even have them in the house. It may be difficult at first for them to get used to the change but be persistent and they will adjust easier than you think.
2. Make healthy foods easily accessible.
Keep snacks for the kids at their height so they can easily reach what you want them to have. Now that doesn’t mean stick the junk food on the top shelf where they can’t reach it, that would be breaking rule #1! It just makes it easier for you to say go and grab something without you having to do everything. Its all about making mom’s (or dad’s) life easier!
Another tip to keep healthy foods accessible is to have all fruits and veggies clean and ready to eat. After I grocery shop I take about a half hour to wash all my fruit and veggies and get it put away. (In the picture below you can see all my fruit drying). I never put it away before I wash it! The extra bit of time it takes to wash it all at once in invaluable! See here how I wash my produce naturally.
3. Only buy fresh fruits and veggies.
I have ceased to by any canned fruits or vegetables. Yes they are so easy but the taste and quality just isn’t the same. A great way to get your kids to love their vegetables is to buy it fresh and steam them. After you do this you will not want to go back! Also have a, you must at least try everything rule. I have never been a clear your plate mom but I at least ask that they try it. Eventually they will learn to like most things.
4. Have your kids help prepare food.
I have tried to get my kids to eat things and they would refuse or say they didn’t like it and then make the same thing and have them help and they love it. There is something about kids needing to see what goes into making it, especially new things, for them to want to try them. Not to mention they love to help!
5. Allow them to help you shop.
If your kids are young and not in school yet or you shop when they are home a great way to teach them to make healthy choices is by putting that choice in their hands. Either give them a list of what you want them to shop for or tell them they can pick out something as long as it is a healthy choice. Kids love to make their own decisions, it makes them feel like they have some control of their life.
I hope these tips help lead your family and children to live a healthier lifestyle! I would love to hear your thoughts, share in the comments below!
Be positive, happy, and excited about new changes and you kids will follow!
~Bonnie
Other great posts about health!
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