3 tricks to get your kids to eat healthier

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  Posted by Pat Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:13am PDT

  The best way is to start them off with an appetite for healthy foods. The first foods after cereals that I gave my daughter were vegetables. She loved fresh cooked spinach, green beans, and many other vegetables when she was two years old. I made a small garden for her in our back yard and we planted seeds and tomato plants so she could see her veggies growing. Later when she was staying with a sitter, she learned to make asparagus, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, etc. which I had never tried.

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  Posted by Katie B Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:25pm PDT

  Hmm... these "tricks" can even work for the picky husband as well.. ;)

  *shhhh! Don't tell him I said this. ;)

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  Posted by work in progress Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:48pm PDT

  I would like to see some real tips that help me. My youngest lives basically on bread. No meat, no veggies, no fruit. He does not like sauces or dips. His usuals are pb&j, string cheese, yogurt, dried cranberries, and mac-n-cheese. I've tried everything I can think of to get him to eat other things, but he will literally not eat for days if he does not like his options, which at his weight he cannot afford. I've tried sneaky tricks, example: shakes, to get him to eat fruit, but to no avail. He does not like textures or extreme flavors (tart) or temperatures- like ice cream for instance! Every once in awhile he will eat something new or diff, but usually only once. He also burns out on his favorites, leaving me at a loss. Dr's say he is growing taller and active so he is fine, he'll come around (and I do believe he will). But it is such a headache for me in the meantime. All our worries about kids who over-eat... what about those who won't eat at all? What about kids who are sensitive to foods? Someone help us MOMS!

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  Posted by Laura Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:48pm PDT

  Work in Progress,

  My husbands brother was like this for years - all he would eat was waffles with peanut butter and chocolate chips. Thats it. He literally would not try food, even if there was spaghetti cooking, pizza delivered, steak being grilled. But little by little he started trying new foods, and now at 15 he is just as well rounded in his eating habits as anyone. Hang in there! :-)

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  Posted by work in progress Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:56pm PDT

  Thanks for taking the time to share, Laura. Its nice to know there are ppl who relate instead of thinking its something that I (the mom) must be doing wrong.

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  Posted by V.H Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:00pm PDT

  Work in progress

  My 2 year old does this sometimes. It is hard not to worry but if the dr. says he is fine and the child seems fine, then he is fine. Keep trying to offer new foods EVENTUALLY it will change

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  Posted by Monica Sat Aug 22, 2009 7:09pm PDT

  I took a slightly different approach, starting when the kiddos were wee little babies. Mind you, I understand this may not work for everyone.

  I passed on any and all baby food, with the exception of cereal. I made my own out of the dinners that we had. That was what was served for mealtime. No exceptions. I'm not Denny's.

  However, this backfired on one kiddo, who was totally meat and potatoes. Literally. But with patience and consistently offering new things to try, that phase passed.

  The main thing to remember, is that mealtime shouldn't be so stressful. Take deep breaths, and if all the little one will eat is the dinner roll, it will be just fine. The doctor told me long ago that a child's nutritional intake is spread out over a week's time.

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  Posted by J Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:01pm PDT

  my trick to give extra "veggies" is to add a can of V8 (or the store brand) to spaghetti or any dish that uses tomato sauce.

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  Posted by Habanero♥™ Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:11am PDT

  I remember when my first would only eat macaroni and cheese....Yup Kraft! When I told his doctor that it was all he would eat, he asked me how the boy, at age six, could buy his own food.

  It was at that moment that I realized that he would have to eat what was bought for the family.

  Parents, like me, create picky eaters. Children do not know any better.

  I decided to not buy anything processed anymore and over the years my boys have learned to read labels and incorporate vegetables everyday into their diets.

  All kids are different, Work in progress, he'll come around!

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  Posted by Mo B Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:49am PDT

  To me that advice doesn't work. Some kids are just picky eaters. My daughter tries absolutely everything I give her, but only likes and eats a few. I make her try something at least 7 times and usualy she just doesn't like them. She has 3 vegetables she'll eat, carrots, corn, and broccoli, she's tried lots of others numerous times but doesn't like them. Not sure how this helps a picky eater who just doesn't like the taste of things (I've tried the dips and doesn't work).

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