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Plenty of parents find it a bit of a challenge to get their kids eating enough fruit and vegetables. They aren’t always the most popular part of the meal, but it’s important to get them used to them. There are lots of fun yet secret ways to include fruit and vegetables if you’re creative enough. If you aim to implement them into your everyday routine, it also gets much easier. That way they’ll develop a healthier attitude towards eating sooner rather than later. Here are seven tricks to get your kids eating fruit and veg.
Homemade juices
Start off by making homemade juices such as cold press juice and smoothies. Children tend to like them and they’ll enjoy helping out making them as well. You’ll also find that plenty of fruits and vegetables go unnoticed. You could try adding milk or yogurt to make creamy smoothies as well. There are plenty of other healthy ingredients such as flax seeds and nut butter for fiber. You might as well try throwing in some vegetables as well like carrots or spinach as once they’re blended up they won’t notice them.
Oatmeal toppings
There are plenty of healthy oatmeal toppings you can introduce to breakfast times. It’s worth getting them to decorate their own oatmeal too with fresh or dried fruit to engage their interest. Oatmeal in itself is an ideal breakfast option for kids. Opt for cinnamon as well for a healthier alternative to sugar. It’s a good way to start the day.
Fun dips
Dips are a great way to make vegetables more fun. There are plenty of delicious dip recipes that are actually made almost purely of vegetables. With some of the best dip recipes, you could even introduce them to crudites and raw vegetables. Prepare a multicolored platter of fruits and veggies and make it more fun for them to choose a healthy alternative. The great thing about fruits and vegetables is that they do look colorful and inviting set up like this. This is perfect for babies and small children as you can introduce them by playing the airplane game, or other fun games.
Hide them in stews
There are plenty of healthy soup and stew recipes that successfully hide vegetables so that you wouldn’t even know they’re there. Chop them up small and brew them in one pot to keep all the nutrients and vitamins in your soup or stew. Frozen vegetables are also an easy option here, for example. They don’t require chopping or much preparation. They will also go unnoticed and your kids will develop healthier tastes without even realizing it.
Get them to help in the kitchen
Another way to get your kids more interested in fruit and vegetables is by allowing them to help out in the kitchen. You could start with something as simple as homemade orange juice. Get them to help pick the fruit and squeeze them. This will make the whole experience a lot more fun. It’s also a great way to teach your children about cooking and the importance of a healthy diet. The more you familiarize them with fruits and vegetables the better. They’ll be asking to help out in the kitchen all the time before you know it and picking out their favorite ingredients.
Include them in every meal
The more familiar your children are with eating fruit and vegetables the better. Serve them on the side of all your meals and make it part of your everyday routine. Even if you include frozen fruits and vegetables, try putting them out with almost every meal. You can prepare side salads or fruit salad for dessert and regularly have these at dinner time. This way they won’t take long to get used to them being a normal part of their mealtimes.
Encourage healthy snacking
There are several tips online about how to encourage healthy snacking in children. It’s recommendable to have planned snack times for kids, particularly toddlers. Always encourage that they finish their main meals, however, rather than opting for snacks instead. When snack time arrives, introduce healthier easy options. These might include raw veggies and dips or a small portion of fruit. Be careful not to push them or describe certain snacks as healthy or unhealthy. They might automatically shy away from healthier choices. This is mainly because they will have been introduced to unhealthier snacks at friends’ houses. Show a good example and eat your healthy snacks too, and hopefully, your kids will follow suit.
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