Getting your kids to eat healthier foods can be a challenge when they would rather choose sweets and chocolate. It’s so important to ensure your kids are eating a balanced, healthy diet. Did you know at least one in three kids in the US are considered overweight or obese? The best way to get little ones to eat healthier is to make healthy food more exciting for them. Here are some tips to get your kids more excited about healthy food.
Healthy Versions of Treats
One of the top ways to help make healthy foods more exciting is to keep them looking like their favorite foods. So why not make healthy brownies by swapping out the chocolate for sweet potato. They still taste just as delicious as chocolate brownies and your kids will still think they are a delicious treat. You can also get your child to help with the baking. It’s a great way of teaching them about how things are made while having some fun as well. Remember to give your child an apron before you start cooking as they are bound to get messy. Provide them with a certain job such as mixing the eggs while you do the harder parts. Baking is so exciting for kids as they will get to see what the finished product looks like. And then you can enjoy them together once they have cooled down.
Make Your Own Potato Chips
If your kid loves to have some delicious crisps when they get home from school, it’s time to try and make these healthier. You can do this by making your own. By doing this, you can ensure they are healthier by cutting out some of the most fattening ingredients. You could also make some vegetable chips for your kid to try. They look similar to their favorite snack but are much healthier. Carrots, sweet potato, and parsnip are great choices and easy to make into chips for your kids. Here are some tips on how to make root veggie chips for your little one.
Serve More Salad
A lot of time you put salad out on the table, it gets left and you end up having to throw it out. However, your kid should be eating salad to ensure they are eating an excellent diet full of essential nutrients and vitamins. To help your child be keener to eat salad, you should try a dressing on top of the salad to make it taste better. It will be more appealing to kids and taste a lot more exciting. You can get delicious salad dressing products from Hampton Creek to make the salad more appealing to kids.
Swap Milk to Dark Chocolate
Children love chocolate, and it can be hard to stop them eating it. But it’s full of sugar and fat which is not good for your body, or your dental health. However, to get your kids to start eating healthier, why not swap their milk chocolate to dark chocolate. It’s still chocolate to them, but you know that dark chocolate has a lot of health benefits for kids. It’s full of antioxidants, has soluble fiber, and is full of minerals. You can get different flavored dark chocolates to make it more fun for kids, such as mint or orange. Get them to try it to see if they will enjoy eating it.
Healthy Snack Options
Another top way you can make healthy food more fun is by getting your kids to consume it while watching a movie. If you are out at a cinema complex, why not take some carrot sticks or celery to consume during the film. For one thing, buying movie food is expensive, so it saves you some money. But also eating at a cinema is exciting, so your kids are more likely to eat them. You can even eat healthy while you are having a movie day at home. Choose a great flick to watch and then make some healthy snacks and drinks for you both to enjoy while watching the movie. You could even bring the duvet down and get your pajamas on to have a cozy day together. Snacking is the top reason why people put on weight, so try and choose healthier treats such as fruit and nuts to eat while watching the flick.
Grocery Shop Together
It can help them find healthy foods more exciting if they go with you when you go food shopping. Take the time to go around the shops and show them healthy choices which you could buy. It makes the product seem more fun if you buy it when you’re out, and they will be excited to try it at home. However, you need to try and avoid the sweets and crisps aisle!
Make a Pizza with Veggies Together
Pizzas can be better for kids if you stick to healthier ingredients such as vegetables and peppers. Try and avoid using too much cheese and meat. To make it more exciting, why don’t you buy a load of healthy ingredients and get your child to make their own pizza. Prep them in advance, so it’s easier for your kids to make. As they have made it themselves, they will find it more fun and exciting when they do eat it, despite the fact it won’t be loaded with cheese!
Add Fruits and Veggies to Their Favorite Foods
If your kid won’t eat healthier, it’s time to get creative with food. You might want to add some bananas to their usual peanut butter or Nutella on toast. Because they love it, they won’t mind having some extra fruit on there to enjoy with it. When making spaghetti bolognese, you can add hidden onions and veg in there. Therefore, they will still love eating it if it’s their favorite. But will be eating healthier than they realize. It’s much easier and more fun for your kids than putting them on their plate when they are not likely to consume them.
Remember it’s always good to talk to your child about the importance of eating healthier!
Cynthia W says
Thanks for the tips. This was very informative. I hadn’t thought of some of these.
Stephanie says
This all looks so good. Thanks for sharing.
tina gonzalez says
I need to eat more healthy