To help your kids be healthy eaters as adults, it’s best to get them started with a healthy diet at a young age. Sure, mac ‘n cheese is o.k. sometimes, but nutritionists suggest these types of convenience foods are considered once-in-awhile treats rather than meal staples. Make whole foods and fruits and vegetables the stars on your kids’ plates by adding variety, sharing excitement when new produce comes into season and considering kid-friendly dips and sauces as accompaniment. Here are more suggestions on how to make your kid a veggie lover.
Luckily, there are plenty of foods that many kids naturally say yes to. Here are our top four for boosting immunity, curbing hunger cravings, and delivering healthy fats and fiber.
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Strawberries. We love when strawberries are in season, and in our neck of the woods, that time is now. In addition to being harbingers of the warmer weather to come, strawberries are a great source of vitamin c, which speeds the recovery of bumps and scrapes.
Kid-Friendly Prep: If your kids need convincing, consider offering a bowl of strawberries with a side of melted chocolate for a sweet and nutritious after-school snack. Select dark chocolate for an antioxidant boost. -
Sweet Potatoes. Help your kids stave off a visit to the optometrist with regular meals that feature sweet potatoes. These vibrant tubers are an excellent source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that plays a vital role in eye health.
Kid-Friendly Prep: Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet which makes them a win for many young folks. Consider adding butter, coconut and a touch of maple syrup to really take them over the top. Here’s one of our favorite ways to indulge. -
Protein. Adequate protein helps to level blood sugar. Ensuring your kids have a protein-rich breakfast can help them avoid a sugar crash before lunch. Not surprisingly, research shows that kids who eat a protein-rich breakfast perform better in school.
Kid-Friendly Prep: It’s hard to go wrong with scrambled eggs sprinkled with cheese. If your kids are not eggstatic about eggs (sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves), consider rolling them into a breakfast burrito or disguising in an eggy-muffin. -
Almonds. Almonds are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats. This type of healthy fat is essential for supporting brain health, supplying nutrients necessary for growth and contributing to a healthy metabolism.
Kid-Friendly Prep: Make nuts exciting by roasting them with kid-pleasing add-ons like maple syrup and cinnamon. Or, for even more convenience, try one of our Nut Fusions Blends, which deliver healthy fats, fiber and a touch of sweetness from dried fruit.
