I’ve told you how much my kids love corndogs. And how I still love Dortitos. And how, if given the choice, my kids would choose the candy over the good stuff.
Oh look. My family is normal! (Normal is relative. Thank you for your support.)
This is why I have to be strategic when putting food on the table for meals and snacks. Yep, sometimes I offer chips. So be it. But in an effort to fill us all with as much nourishment as possible – as easily as possible – these are the tricks I’ve discovered through the years.
Healthy Choices Are Easier When There Are Several Choices
I’m not about to become a short-order chef. But when I know I’ll be serving a fruit or veggie one of my kids doesn’t love, I’ll always serve another one or two he does love. Then I don’t have to fight a battle that doesn’t even make sense. After all, even I don’t love every single veggie on the planet (sorry jicima, I tried).
Serve the Healthy Choices on a Plate
This one may sound silly, but the truth is that the easier I make the food to grab and eat, the more my family will eat. Last week I got out jars and bowls filled with little bits of fruit and raw veggie leftovers from the past couple days’ meals. Had I put them on the table as-is – which would have meant that my kids would have had to reach farther across the table and down into jars to access the food – I know without a doubt that they wouldn’t have eaten as many fruits and veggies. Instead, I dumped everything out of the jars and made a big platter of the fruits and veggies for the table. The munching started even before I was ready to call everyone in for the Potato Soup meal. Bingo. My plan worked.
Assign a Number
Often when there is a plate of healthy grab-and-eat foods, I’ll tell my kids, “You each need to eat at least 8 foods from the plate.” Then Malachi says, “What if we eat 10, is that okay?” Smarty pants. Again, some of the foods on the plate aren’t my kids’ favorites, so they don’t even have to touch those and it doesn’t matter as long as they eat at least 8 (or sure, 10).
Healthy and Delicious Should Happen At the Same Time
What I love about healthy food is that it is so yummy and flavorful – naturally. But if a fruit is not in season, it’s not going to taste as good – so choose accordingly for the best chance at your family loving the food choices. Also, be sure your family doesn’t equate the word “healthy” with “dry, boring, and flavorless.” As for me and my household, we will avoid rice cakes at all cost and instead make delicious and flavorful dishes and snacks with herbs and spices, milk, cheese, meats, fruits, veggies, real butter, sea salt, and coconut oil. Real food is what deliciousness is made of.
Serve the Favorites – the Healthier Way
We all love pizza, tacos, hamburgers, fries, and did I mention corndogs? Sometimes we splurge on the not-so-good-for-you variety. Mostly though, it is less expensive and tastier to make all of these favorites with our own wholesome ingredients. Have you ever made homemade fries? On my stars. And corndogs? We can make those too.
I’d love to hear the tricks you use to make healthy choices easy for your family!
I love the platter! So pretty! I will have to try that one. I have been known to have about 4 extra bowls and I think the platter would go over better. :)
I have a 2 year old so my strategy is weird but it works. 2-year olds are into shapes and colors and they really like doing things themselves. So I might say “today is orange day! Go in the fridge and pick something orange. He might dig around and pick carrot sticks…or cateloupe…or leftover sweet potato. I don’t care. It’s healthy and he feels like a big shot picking out his own food.
Same thing with shapes. “today is square day! Can you find a square in the pantry?” He might find Triscuits or graham crackers. I don’t care which he picks. Because the potato chips in there are NOT squares so he doesn’t pay them any mind.
Added bonus: The hunting keeps him busy while I finish up the rest of the meal prep.
Really Laura- jicama??? Don’t you know it is only a delivery vehicle for guacamole??? I really don’t think it has another purpose. It’s better for you than chips is my mantra when dipping.
Rice cakes topped with sliced cheddar or muenster cheese then toasted lightly in the toaster oven are yummy. A quick and easy snack if you or someone you know has to avoid gluten or corn. :0)
Yes! Why is it that if I put a bag of carrot sticks on the table that no one eats them. If I dump them in a bowl they start munching as soon as they get to the table. It is, after all, soooooo difficult to open a bag and reach in!!