OK, moms and dads out there, we hear you when you say, my children won’t eat healthy foods. If we even say the word, they tune out and already decide they don’t like it. Well, my first response to this is “who is running the house, you or the kids”. If you say the kids, you have more problems than I can help you with. Put your foot down, you and your husband, spouse, significant other, (fill in the blank) are the ones making the living and doing the providing. I fully realize that children don’t like the concept of healthy foods. However, most children don’t realize that many of the foods they do like are healthy for them. Most kids I know love peanut butter, well that is a good food for them. So try some peanut butter on that apple or celery they refuse to eat. Or try some low fat or fat free cheese sauce on the cauliflower or broccoli they turn their nose up at.
One of the biggest mistakes parents make it to try to implement changes all at once. This is a certain recipe for rebellion. Try to make changes gradually. You know those smoothies they love so much. Rather than the milkshake try some yogurt and fruit instead. All kids love French fries (even many adults I know do). Rather than fries try substituting tortilla chips and salsa instead.
I have a friend who decided that her family was going to eat healthy and she threw out all the snacks foods and junk foods in the house. Well needless to say her spouse and the kids went ballistic. So make it a gradual change. Start by making some changes to the snacks around the house and then work up to the meals. In the long run you will be glad you did and so will your children.
Copyright, 2005, DeFiore Enterprises
Let Kids Help
One fantastic way to get your children involved in what they are eating, is to have them help. A great way to start is to let them make up their lunch for the next day. Obviously you will need to set some guidelines. For example, when I turned 9 I was allowed to make up my own lunch. In my girlfriends’ houses they were 10 and in some others 11. However, we all felt very important and grown up that we were allowed to make up our own lunch. Again, my mom had certain guidelines. We had to pick a lunch meat, fruit or yogurt and bread to put it on (white, wheat, rye or a roll; today wraps are another alternative). As I got older however, I cut down to a half sandwich as I found I didn’t always finish a full sandwich. I continue to eat lunch this way today, a half sandwich and some fruit.
Home Cooked Fast Food
Many years ago a nifty little device came out called the Crock Pot. You could cut up a bunch of veggies, meat, and spices, dump them in the pot, and it did all the hard work. You came home at the end of the day and Presto you had a nice hearty meal. Add a salad and some bread/rolls and you were set.
Let’s Eat Pizza
One of my family’s favorite meals is called “little pizzas”. We take an English muffin and split it, put some tomato sauce on it, then some low fat mozzarella cheese with some pepperoni slices (hey sometimes you just have to splurge)! However, some healthier toppings would be ham (lean), Canadian bacon, turkey sausage, peppers, olives, or sliced or diced onions.
