Healthy eating can be a challenge for us all – especially the kiddos! Today I’m sharing a few secrets of mine for how to get kids to eat healthy food and I know they will help your family!
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How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy Food
I feel like something I get asked so frequently is “how to get kids to eat healthy food?” You all know how important healthy living is to me, it’s no secret. But there is also no denying the fact that while I’m all about healthy everything all day long that my kids….not so much. Blake is a little bit easier than Branden and will eat veggies and a pretty wide array of fruits, but Branden is extra picky about everything and the healthy stuff really has to taste good to get him coming back for more.
I try to teach them as best as I can about eating a balanced diet, but it’s not always the easiest because we do live an on the go lifestyle, especially since school has started, and a lot of the grab-and-go foods on the market are less than desirable in the nutrition category. It’s a daily struggle! While I’m not perfect and I don’t pretend to be, I have found some answers and daily practices that have worked for us that are doing the trick!
How to get kids to eat healthy
More and more it seems like kids would rather eat treats all day long, and why wouldn’t they? There is sugar in almost everything these days, which only makes them want more sugar and makes me go crazy. Here’s how we combat this (as best we can) in the Cooper household!
Make sure healthy options are available
While this might sound like a no-brainer, it’s overlooked more often than you might think. Look back on all the trips to the zoo, a baseball game or even the park over the summer months where you ended up dishing out cash for kids to go get something completely unhealthy from the snack bar. Probably a lot. I try my best to make sure that we always have something healthy on hand so that option is there first and Crispy Green is our go-to. You read about my love for this amazing brand last week and today I’m digging a little deeper. Each freeze-dried package contains no added sugar at all (score!) but is also free of any additives, are non-GMO and gluten-free. They are delicious and so easy to shove into my purse to have handy.
Always fruits and veggies before a treat
Or better yet – make fruits and veggies the treat! I know that isn’t always easy with kids, but if they at least understand that they must eat a fruit or veggie as a snack or with a meal before they can have a treat, they are learning to eat the healthy stuff first. And we can only hope that they will fill up on those nutritious items and not even want something sugary or starchy afterward.
Stick with what works
I live by the rule that if it’s not broke then don’t fix it and that totally applies here, too. If your kids have favorites, like ours being Crispy Green , stick with that. It’s fine to have them test out new things here and there and at least try new things, but I’ve realized over the years that this can sometimes cause more stress than it’s worth. If you encourage that they eat the rainbow from the very beginning, then they will come to you when they want to try something new and you can avoid a fight.
Read the labels
Seriously though, read those labels. I guarantee that if you go through your pantry right now that there are foods with hidden sugars and chemicals that you wouldn’t want inside your kiddos bodies. I’m guilty of it, too. I sometimes just buy things because they ask or use it as a reward and I’m not proud of that, so I’m trying to be better able label reading and remembering that I’m in control of what is brought into the home. If it’s not there, then they won’t be eating it. Food is fuel, after all.
Looking for more healthy topics? I’ve got you covered!
- Let’s Support One Another: Why Mom Shaming Needs to End
- Mindful Eating Tips
- Why HIIT Workout Are Great For Moms
- Teaching Kids Kindness This School Year
- The Keto Diet For Beginners
- Fun Summer Activities: How to Reinforce Your Kids Key Skills
- Healthy Snacks For Busy Moms
I try my best to pick my battles with Blake and Branden, but the truth is that I’ve got a toddler in the midst of the terrible twos and a tween who argues with me about everything. They are full energy, never stop, never get tired kind of children and it’s my job to make sure that they are eating what’s best to keep them going, and choosing the best is important to me. Crispy Green goes everywhere with us so that we’re always highlighting a healthy lifestyle.
What are you go-to healthy snacks?
XOXO,
Allison
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