Healthy In 2023

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By Sarah Lyons

As a mom of three toddlers, I understand the challenge of getting your kids to eat vegetables daily. It is recommended that kids eat three servings of vegetables per day. This may seem like quite a feat, especially if your child has declared crackers and chicken nuggets to be their main source of nutrition.

Here are some simple ways to sneak veggies into your child’s diet. Who knows? Maybe you will end up eating more vegetables too.

Hide it. With a little planning you can easily hide veggies in almost all your child’s favorite foods. Zucchini can be finely grated into spaghetti sauce, taco meat, or sloppy joes. Pureed carrots can be disguised in macaroni and cheese and cooked and mashed cauliflower can be easily hidden in mashed potatoes or potato soup.

Offer it. I received a covered vegetable tray as a gift and decided to fill it with the carrots, celery, bell peppers, and cauliflower that were just sitting in my refrigerator. I began to set the veggie tray out at mealtime and during snacks and to my pleasant surprise, my kids started to eat them. They ate so many I had to fill the tray again and again. Add some hummus, ranch or dill dip, or peanut butter and they will be even more likely to dig in. This will help cut down on the “Can I have a snack?” questions and you’ll know they are getting a nutritious option instead.

Blend it. Kids love smoothies because they are delicious and fun to eat. Vegetables like spinach and kale can be blended into smoothies or yogurt without changing the taste. Offer a fun cup to drink out of or buy your own refillable squeeze pouches or yogurt sleeves to encourage kids to drink their hidden veggie smoothies in ways that they are familiar with.

Bake it. Kids rarely turn down a sweet treat and it is easy to sneak veggies in without them even noticing. Zucchini and carrots can be baked into quick breads, muffins, cakes and cookies and you will receive little to no complaints.

Model it. Our actions speak louder than our words. When kids see parents eating veggies on a regular basis, they are more likely to do so as well. Modeling a healthy diet and exercise for your kids will help them learn to do the same.

Prepare it. Kids are much more likely to try new foods when they do the preparation themselves. Get the kids involved in the kitchen and have them choose vegetables to add to their menu. You can also try planting a garden in your own backyard. When kids grow and prepare their own food, they are much more likely to eat it because they have ownership in the project.

Don’t give up. It may seem like your kids will never break the routine of chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and crackers but don’t give up. Exposure makes them more likely to try new foods, even vegetables.

Sarah Lyons is a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom to six kids, including seven-year-old triplets.

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By Sarah Lyons

Ahealthy and well-balanced diet is important for kids to maintain healthy growth and development. Snack time is a great way to incorporate fruits and vegetables into a child’s daily diet. Here are some of the benefits of healthy snacking:

Snacking helps kids develop healthy habits. Including three meals and two healthy snacks into your child’s daily diet helps kids learn healthy eating habits that will stick with them for a lifetime. Providing a well-balanced and healthy diet helps kids learn appropriate portion control, to eat (and enjoy) a variety of foods including fruits and vegetables and develop a healthy relationship with food. Kids who learn these valuable habits early are less likely to form unhealthy eating habits such as eating out of boredom or based on emotional factors. They also learn to eat when they are hungry and stop eating when they are full, a skill many adults struggle with.

Snacking gives kids the boost they need. Without snacking, kids are less likely to meet the suggested nutritional intake to maintain a healthy diet because their stomachs are smaller and become full with a smaller meal. Adding two small snacks a day that provide fruit, veggies, low fat dairy, or whole grain helps kids fill in the nutritional gaps they may have been missing from breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition, snacks provide a boost of energy to get kids through the rest of the day.

Snacking benefits a child’s overall health. The development of healthy eating habits at a young age decreases the likelihood of children developing diseases like cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Kids who eat more fruits and vegetables and less “junk food” that contain high quantities of sugar are also more likely to have better dental hygiene. Kids who maintain a healthy diet, including smart snack choices, are less likely to binge on foods high in calories and carbohydrates.

Snacking helps power brain development. Kids who eat healthy snacks are generally more prepared to listen and learn at school because their bellies are full. They have more energy and are more attentive in class. Hungry kids become irritable, tired, and less alert. A healthy snack can do a lot to help kids grow and develop properly.

Now, how do parents get kids to eat the fruits and vegetables their bodies need? Prepare fun snacks, which encourages kids to try new foods and may even help them to forget they are eating healthy food at all. Here are some great snacks that kids will have fun eating. » Frozen banana “ice cream.” Simply slice a banana and freeze overnight. The next day put the bananas in a blender or food processor, and the result will taste similar to ice cream.

»Apple slices. Slices of apple can be more appetizing for kids and are fun to eat. Add a side of peanut butter for dipping to make them even more appealing.

»Fruit kabobs. Create “caterpillars” out of grapes for a snack. Another way is to use cookie cutters to cut interesting shapes.

»Ants on a log. Simply fill celery with peanut butter and top with raisins.

»Dinosaur broccoli trees. To a kid, broccoli resembles a tree. Bring the dinosaur toys to the table to “share the trees.” Add ranch or blue cheese dip, or cottage cheese on the side.

»Zucchini spaghetti. Kids love spaghetti. This alternative is just as tasty as traditional spaghetti noodles.

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