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Hi Dawn,
My name is Kesha and I am a mother of two. a 5yr old and a 3 month old. Before I got pregnant with my 3 month old I converted over to vegetarian and of course I wanted my 5 year old to eat better as well but I did not want to make her a vegetarian just yet.
I purchased a book called Kid Favorites made healthy by the better home and gardens and it has 150 delicious recipes that my daughter loves. For instance there is a recipe I make for her lunch which Crunch PB and a wrap. You get a 7 to 8 inch flour tortilla put some PB on it, chopped apple and low fat granola roll it up and cut it in half. She absolutely loves it. Oh, they have sooo much more stuff. Also go to www.hacres.com they have a recipe book called Hallelujah kids that also have some really cool recipes.
Hope that helps
Sexyback2
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SUGARBELLY
5/14/07 12:48 A
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OMG!! Can I please just tell you guys that I actually went out and bought the Sneaky Chef book!!! I have a 2.5 year old who just won't eat anything...I have done the brownies, the mac n' cheese and do a ton of diffrent smoothies. Most of the smoothies I just do on my own, take a yogurt, a container of baby food or frozen fruit, some ice cubes and splash of milk.
The one smoothie that I make that she really likes is as actually a baby food sweet potatoes, vanilla yogurt, vanilla pedisure, some ice and a little bit of cinamon. I know it might not sound that good, but I have tasted it and I like it. Good luck, Persistance is Key!!!!
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MELANIEASKEW
5/11/07 8:16 P
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One of the things we have done with my son from very early on is to involve him the cooking. Now he even prepares his own meals and snacks. I give him a list of what is acceptable, and he goes and makes something out of it. Some of it is a little weird, like his tortilla soup with extra salsa, but a lot of it is really good and fun. By giving him a list of 90% healthy items to work from it is usually pretty healthy. Green Apple slices with honey and cinnamon was pretty good. Maybe let them experiment a little in the kitchen. One of his favorite things for a while was apples dipped into cottage cheese. (something I would have never put together)
We try to make healthy eating fun, like have competitions to see who can come up with the healthiest snack in under 10 minutes at the store, that kind of thing. Food should be fun as well as healthy.
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| Persistence is the key with little ones who won't eat. The pediatric nutritionist I spoke with said that you have to try some foods up to 20 times before a child will accept them. So keep trying a bite or two and eventually they eat it. Our son went through a VERY picky stage just before he was 3. Now he's a 5-year-old that'll tuck into any veg, eat salads, pretty much anything we put down in front of him.
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My kids are allowed to choose 1 snackfood from the grocery store (Trader Joe's all the way). These are eaten from the little 1/2 cup gladware containers, never from the bag. I use these for afterschool snacks, alternating days w/ fruit.
I'm lucky because both kids (7&3) love fruit (but the older one digs vegetables much more than her brother). Fruit is allowed any time of day (the little one starts and ends his day w/ a banana), especially if they don't like what's served for dinner.
My 7-year-old is very interested in nutrition and seems to intuitively make good choices or will ask whether something is healthy. (Given a chocolate bar, this child can eat some and save some for later - even I can't do that!) We talk about food and nutrition a lot. My 3-year-old is a tougher nut to crack - he has my taste for chocolate and loves sweets. But he loves to help in the kitchen and will sit on the counter and ask questions about what I'm doing, so I sneak in nutrition "brainwashing" then.
I've found that a really easy way to get vegetables and beans into them is to add them to rice/grain pilafs. This works really well w/ spinach and other greens (blanch in hot water, shock in ice water, then chop finely and add to the pilaf before serving) as well as peas (my 3-year-old loves to shell them, and will eat more if he's helped with it!), diced carrots, bell peppers, etc. Mushrooms are still a firm "Mommy take this out!" and not worth the trouble. Generally, I cook the veggies separately first (steaming is quick, clean, and healthy) and add them to the pilaf at the end - keeps them from getting mushy and discolored. Steam a bunch ahead and throw them in containers for adding later - they'll last a week or so in fridge. Look for pilaf mixes (WITHOUT SEASONING) - Trader Joe's has good brown rice ones, couscous ones, etc.
Fruit smoothies are a great dessert replacement or easy breakfast on the go - why is it a straw makes everything taste better?!?
I read Omnivore's Dilemma and have seen Supersize Me, so I'm turning into a real "food nazi." It's been so long since we've eaten fast food, my kids won't even ask for it any more....
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NISSENSLTZ9
5/9/07 12:52 A
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| I also have a six year old and I notice she is interested in anything I eat. So make yourself some healthy snacks and go eat them next to the boys. See if they are on your lap begging for some soon.
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What I began last year (& wish I'd done way sooner) is to keep a tray of veggies and dip ready to go in the fridge at all times. The secret is to buy the plastic party veggie tray at the supermarket with 4 compartments and a dip in the centre, and just keep restocking it when I prep veggies for anything else. Peeled broccoli stalks, rutabaga slices, zucchini, mushrooms, cucumber all work as well as the "usual" baby carrots, celery, and cauliflower florets.
I had to overcome my reluctance to spend $8 or 10 on stuff I could do way cheaper at home, but it's been well worth it. DH & kids would always eat veggie dippers IF I prepared a platter full, but now it's usually emptied by snacking before I get home.
I used to put out veggies & dip while waiting for a pizza to be delivered -that got eaten double quick!
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| Well that drink sounds very yummy. I am sure i can persuade myself on having a few....lol and my son to.
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We like to make smoothies. I use frozen bananas (I buy the slightly over-ripe markdowns way cheap, peel them and keep them in gallon freezer bags. Sometimes they darken a little, sometimes not, but it does not matter in a smoothie anyway.) 1 frozen banana, couple of handfuls of frozen strawberries, some strawberry dannon free yogurt, and about a cup of applejuice. Blend away until smooth, and serve in tupperware glasses with lids and straws.
It is worth getting a good blender. I have a Vita mix, which is so much faster than my previous black and decker, and hamilton beach that it is amazing.
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| I have a 5 year old son who is right in it with me. When he gets home from school we go for our daily walk around the block which is approx. 1 mile. He is a great motivator!
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| I love some of the posts here and do think that healthy eating is a must for the family. I have a baby girl, 2, who seems to like only certain things though. She likes apples and strabbaries when they are in season, but trying to get her to eat cucumber and or tomato is impossible. Even if I put it in a sandwich or somthing, she picks it out :( She sometime doesn't like bread and hates chicken but loves the dark meats. Its very confusing sometimes.
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| I see someone mentions the cookbook called "The Sneaky Chef". I just bought a copy and it is excellent! I would highly recommend it.
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I love the idea of getting your kids involved in the transition process. I would suggest getting a few books or movies on nutrition (that SuperSize Me movie really motivated me to quit eating junk - you could pre-screen and show a portion of it).
I got a few books on packing healthy lunches from my library - Brown Bag Success, and something about packing lunches your kids will eat. You could ask your librarian for some assistance with exact titles.
My battle plan at my house has been to change three things per week. Once the old non-healthy snacks run out, we don't buy more or replace them with other non-healthy stuff.
For example, week one I bought bread with extra fiber (instead of our regular wheat), whole grain and sugar free dessert options (sugar free jello/pudding, or whole grain chocolate chip cookies), and morning star chicken nuggets (instead of our usual Walmart brand chicken ones). Now I always buy those items. Week two I added three more changes, etc.
I find that my kids are less resistant when change is slow and gradual. If we are all going to be healthy, then we are all going to eat this way. I also have found that it helps me not to snack on stuff I don't need to if I am worried about modeling good eating habits for them (and if it is not in our home).
Good luck!
Michele
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I have started eating rice cakes. The other day my 5-year-old daughter asked for some cookies but we were out so she asked for some of what I was eating (Apple Cinnamon rice cakes). She loved them. Now I have to hide them from her.
She is also into microwave popcorn (single serve bag).
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CHRISTYISRC
5/8/07 8:47 A
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I have a large family (8 children) and just recently stopped buying junk food. What has been successful for me is to have the snack cut and ready on the counter. Sliced celery, carrots, cukes, fruit of whatever kind you have, whatever the healthy snack I am promoting that day. I do this so it is easy and fast. Usually the annoyance with "healthy food" is that it takes so long to prepare. I take that step out and no one has complained (much  ) I hope that helps.
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| i have 3 girls age 1, 6, and 10 and one of our fav snacks they call "ants on a log" celery sticks with Peanut Butter for the log and rasins for the ants or we make "spider sandwiches" out of Peanut Butter with carrots or celery for leggs the best part is they are always excited to try the creations when they put them together themselves
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CHRISTYSMITH
5/3/07 7:11 P
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Whatever you do make the transition gradual and talk to them about the choices and why you feed them what you do. have them help find healthy snacks at the grovery store - maybe look at the ad in advance. i have a 7 and 11 year old and it has taken time but you can get there.
We actually had sliced tomatoes, cukes, peppers, celery and steamed broccoli for dinner - at their request. We are going to top it off w/ a fruit smoothie.
You can get them there it just takes time and education.
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My 3 year old like the Nutripals (made my pedisure) they have soy protein and some fiber They come in choclate S'more and a Peanut Butter one. HE doesn't like the strawberry one.
Any fruit is good.
Pretzels with cheese
Raisins
Flour tortilla with Peanut Butter and sprinkle raisins and roll up. I have heard another was to also put sliced apples in it.
We sometimes do Wheat thins and 'Nilla wafers. Better than some other things. I always like Trisquits with toppings (pizza ones are always good, melt cheese in microwave)
What about yogurts?
Or smoothies (TONS of recipes on Sparkrecipes.com site) Then you can add some fruits that they normally wouldn't eat. But mixed with others they might like.
Make your own popsicles with fruits and juices, great anytime in the summer.
Beckie
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NOLAGIRL504
4/30/07 12:01 P
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Half of a Peanut Butter sandwich with an apple and a glass of skim milk would be a filling after school snack. Maybe split a whole wheat pita and top with tomato sauce and 2% cheese; bake it in the oven for a healthy pizza. You could also give them apple chips, some salsa with baked chips or a low sugar cereal.
My son doesn't like fruit and veggies much but I sneak things into his diet all the time. He eats fruit bars from Whole Foods, bananas, and slasa for snacks after school. He doesn't have a big appetite, so I don't really have to worry about him overeating, but he would eat junk food for every meal if I let him.
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Hi Dawn,
There is a fantastic cookbook on the market called 'The Sneaky Chef'. It's a cookbook that uses a little preparation on the front end but your kids (or husbands for that matter) never know that they are eating anything healthy for them.
Good luck,
Kelly
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any other kinds of fruits
a veggie tray with a bit of ranch dressing
rice cakes with Peanut Butter
granola bars
jello
popcorn with different spices as flavoring
have you checked out the snack recipes? Maybe make something from one of them.
http://sparkpeople.com/resource/recipes.asp?category=7&tab=recipe_category
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DAWNSLAPBAND
4/29/07 11:05 A
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Hi everyone! I am a mom of 2 great boys, aged 10 and 6. They are both completely into sports, and go and go for hours, but my oldest is overweight, and I want to help him loose his extra pounds.
I want to make their afterschool snacks healthy ones. I have little things for them for their school lunhes, which I dont think is hurting them; little bags of chips, puddings, a snack cake, etc... but I dont want them having those afterschool. I know I just say no, but it ends up being a whine battle and it just makes everyone mad.
What can I do, or have around, that could be tasty yet healthy snacks for after school? My kids both eat lunch early, and they DO have snacks at school (yes both of them...which is rediculous...my 10 year old still has snack!!) They are still ravished when they get home.
I have string cheeses around, and mandarin oranges and apllesauces, but that gets old. I just need some better ideas, and variety.
ANY ideas; snacks, how to fend off the fighting, ANYTHING would be a reat help!!!
Thanks ahead of time!
Dawn
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