Comments on: How Do You Encourage Your Kids To Eat Healthily

By: Suzanne Schlechte

Suzanne Schlechte — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:54:52 +0000

I find the biggest challenge is to get my buddies to eat vegetables. I will often serve them vegetables while they wait for the meal to be ready. They are hungriest at the beginning of a meal and I don\’t have to say anything, just make vegetables alone an option while they are waiting. I also serve some things like peas or corn in their frozen state at times. They don\’t taste as much like veggies as they taste like \”frozen\”. It\’s weird but it works. I don\’t serve sweetened beverages or fruit juice either because I think it gets their taste buds accustomed to sweet.

By: Red Ted Art

Red Ted Art — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:00:13 +0000

Ooh thanks for this!

By: Anastasia @Healthy Mama Info

Anastasia @Healthy Mama Info — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:48:10 +0000

I have quite a few ideas and just put them all of them in one post: http://healthymamainfo.com/2012/03/kid-eat-vegetables/

By: Red Ted Art

Red Ted Art — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:38:33 +0000

Oh I love the taste tests! Great idea!!! And yes, I agree, very important to get them tasting things – often they then realise that something is nice!

Salma – talking about \”growing big and strong\” helps in our house too

Laura- we need to cook more together too, I think that definitely helps.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:58:01 +0000

We emphasis very healthy eating at my home. But more important to me are that my 4 and 5 year-old be open to trying new things. Being open to new foods is half the battle. So, we\’ve started doing taste-testing. Last week we went to the store and picked out every color plum we could find. We went home, cut them all up and talked about the differences and similarities between them all. The week prior we picked out all the different colored tomatoes (and they hate tomatoes). But presenting the food as a taste-test, gets the girls to at least try things they may not have liked otherwise. That\’s just one little tip in my arsenal of many!

Thanks for the great question.

By: Laura@howtocookgoodfood

Laura@howtocookgoodfood — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:33:53 +0000

Hi Maggy,
This subject is of huge importance to me too. Particularly now as I have just got a job teaching families how to cook and eat healthily as well as young mums.
I think like you you have to lead by example and also never give up on things. Kids have to try foods at least ten times apparently before it becomes acceptable to them.
Make it fun too. Give them their own utensils, bowls, special knives etc. Give them food for tea which they an assemble themselves such as make your own wraps/pizzas.
I think it\’s good too to not offer them an alternative if they refuse their tea. Strict, I know but effective! Or just let them have some fruit so they are not going to bed hungry x

By: Salma

Salma — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:25:11 +0000

For some reason, my daughter is very concious about eating food that gives her energy and contains vitamins – no idea why – so if I tell her it gives her energy and contains lots of vitamins, she will have it (well not EVERYTHING – but things that are important, for example, eggs). Also, me and her dad try to always say the same thing, to try and show her consistency…