Choosing good whole foods became a passion of mine years before having children. You can read about my motives in my very first ever blog post. After becoming a mom, I knew I wasn’t in for the picky eater challenge. While some kids are naturally more adventurous eaters, there are things we can do as parents to help guide them and avoid the trappings of the chicken nugget diet. Here are my suggestions:
- Lead by Example. My four year old eats salads….with homemade Italian dressing…..is this common? Perhaps, but it completely took me by surprise when she asked for a salad with her dinner as a three year old. I had never really thought of giving her one, but she had taken many bites from mine during our lunches (the one meal where I eat differently from the girls). Simply by watching mom & dad enjoy certain foods, it makes them want to try them as well. Set a good example by eating the healthy foods you want them to eat….and don’t make a big deal about it. They are naturally curious and have serious FOMO. If you eat it, they will notice.
- Lower Exposure at an Early Age. If you’re still in the infant phase, you are still in control. Congrats! My goal as a parent is not to deprive my girls from all the junk food of the world, but I typically wait until they notice something and ask to offer it to them. Goldfish crackers, juice boxes, the cheap skinny push up popsicles, all of these things are never offered at home. When we’re in a social setting and they ask for them because other kids have them, then they get to try them. Your goal should be to form a palette in them at a early age that enjoys healthy foods: unfried chicken, assortments of fruits and veggies, whole wheat bread, etc. A lot of processed food is addictive so there’s no reason to start that battle early on. What they don’t know, won’t tempt them.
- Put down the Spatula. Say it with me “I am not a short order cook.” I think back to my grandmother who raised five children. Do you think she was in the kitchen asking each kid what they wanted for dinner? The thought is literally comical. She fixed one meal for the entire family and the kids ate it….or didn’t. You have this same power. If they are hungry, they will eat. Lyla has always been a great eater, but Rose is a bit more selective. But unless she’s sick, I never offer an alternative. She can eat now, or she will eat in the morning when she’s more hungry. If it’s severe lack of hunger, talk to your doctor for advice, but if they’re just turning their nose up at a healthy array of options, wait it out. If you start giving them their way, it’s going to be a long road of cooking multiple dinners for you.
- Instill the One Bite Rule. Don’t get me wrong, there are some foods the girls genuinely do not care for. I don’t force feed anything. But if it’s on their plate, they must take one bite. If I discover that something’s not a hit, I wait a few weeks and try again. Kids go through phases. Lyla used to like mushrooms, then hated them, and now loves them again. Don’t completely write off certain foods just because they spit them out one time. Their little taste buds are evolving and getting more sophisticated each day….if you’ll shut down the “kid food” train and offer them real options.
- Give them Water! Lyla drinks whole milk and water. That’s it. She’s not some anomaly. She simply was never given juice as a toddler so she never formed a taste for it. When she’s offered a juice box at a birthday party, she’ll take a sip and then hand it off to me. If you start early enough, they won’t know any difference. Juice is not the worst thing in the world….that would belong to the soda category. Sodas have zero place on a young kids’ (or adults for that matter) diet. They are addictive, full of crap, and contribute to a myriad of health issues. I’m not saying my girls will never be allowed. But, they simply aren’t aware of their existence at this point….and are all the healthier for it.
- Teach…Your Children Well. Making healthy food choices is hard….at any age. You don’t have to be intelligent, but you do have to be aware…..and able to conquer addictions to the processed ingredients. Lyla is never told “we don’t eat that”. I’m not trying to create a complex for the later years here. She does however know about “healthy foods” and “sometimes foods”. She loves candy and sweets as much as the best of them, but she understands that they are allowed in moderation because if we eat too much they “make our tummies not feel well”. She knows fruits and veggies are healthy because they grow from the ground and make us strong. We talk about food in a positive light and not a shameful one. This is important! Good wholesome food is a blessing and we should put a happy energy around it. On the opposite side of the spectrum, I don’t make a big deal if she eats a few pieces of candy from her Halloween stash. We need to teach moderation and listening to our bodies….not deprivation and shame.
- Stock Up. Kids need diversity. The more options the better. Also, they’re grazers, so you need healthy snack options and a lot of them. Cheese, nuts, crackers with minimal ingredients (organic Triscuits only have three!) fruits, veggies and hummus, homemade granola bars, etc. Keep the junk to a minimum and prep as much as you can to make the healthy options easy to choose. This will help you with your health goals as well. We’re much more likely to choose the healthier alternative if it’s ready to grab. I also am sooo much better at rejecting the processed stuff at the store than I am when it’s in my pantry at 9pm.
- Make Veggies Yummy. No one likes bland or mushy vegetables….short of a 4 month old who literally doesn’t know any better and is thrilled to have something to gum around other than milk. My absolute favorite way to eat vegetables is roasting them in the oven. Take almost any veggie: broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, potatoes, or onions and toss them in a little olive oil, add salt and pepper, and then roast at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, stir, and turn back on for another 8-10 minutes until slightly crispy. Sprinkle with parmesan for an extra bit of flavor. Or, melt some cheddar cheese and ladle that on top of them. Try different things to make them more palatable for kids. Don’t give up! All God’s children need vegetables (moms and dads included!!). Do whatever it takes to make real food great again.
- Don’t Label Your Kid. I have a friend with a niece who has grown up being called a “picky eater” by her family. Now in high school, she uses it as a self-proclamation. “I don’t eat that. I’m a picky eater”. As a parent, I never would have thought of this, but after hearing about it, it makes perfect sense. If you tell them they are a picky eater, they eventually adopt that as part of their personality and use it as an excuse.
- It’s Never Too Late. If you’re reading this and your ten year old will only eat frozen pizza and boxed macaroni, don’t feel disheartened. We are all doing the absolute best we can here and there is zero judgement from this mama. Start small. Don’t make some huge deal and shake their entire being. Introduce new foods at each meal. Get them involved in the prep and ask their opinions on what they liked and didn’t like. One glass of water a day is better than none. One swap of a candy bar for a bag of trail mix is a win. Congratulate them on their progress and encourage this new journey that perhaps you’re on for the first time as well. Lead by example and know they’re watching. It may be baby steps, but the fact that you care means you’ve tackled the biggest hurdle.
Any tips on forming a well-rounded eating machine??
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