Children sometimes don’t like eating all of the healthy foods that you might enjoy. However, these foods are important as they have the vitamins and minerals that are needed for the growing body. There are a few ways that you can creatively get children to eat healthy foods without them even knowing that the foods are in the meal at times.
Casseroles
This is an easy idea to sneak in a few vegetables with the kids not even knowing they are present. A spaghetti casserole with pepperoni and cheese could include small pieces of tomatoes and diced onions. You can also include small slivers of carrots as they are about the same color of the spaghetti sauce. A chicken casserole can include items like peas and diced carrots if you make it in a similar fashion to a pot pie.
You’re Not A Waitress
When you plan a meal, stick with the plan. Tell children what will be served, and if they don’t want what is served, then they can eat a peanut butter sandwich or not get anything until in the morning, whatever rules work your home. Make sure you have servings from each food group in the meal so that it’s as healthy as possible. Sandwiches can be made with wheat bread instead of white so that children get grains in the meal. You can find quality wheat bread at Klosterman Baking Company. Since most children like bread, introducing different types or textures of bread is a good way to transition to healthier eating.
Dipping
Some children enjoy dipping foods into sauces instead of eating them plain. Create different sauces so that children can experiment with them. Ranch is a good idea for vegetables, but you can add flavor to the ranch with small pieces of bacon or shredded cheese. Honey mustard or salsa are good options as well. Foods that are easy to dip include carrot and celery sticks, broccoli and chips that are made from vegetables.
Kids Can Help
When kids help make the meal, they are often more inclined to eat what is prepared. They will know what is included in the meal whether it’s proteins, fruits or vegetables. Let them come up with ideas of how to use vegetables in the meal. This can lead to healthy ways of cooking for children when they are adults and have families of their own.
Getting children to eat healthy can sometimes be a chore. They might think that some foods don’t look pleasant or that they taste funny. Get creative when letting children try new foods, such as disguising them in other dishes or using dipping sauces with sticks of food.