Feeding Kids

My kids drive me nuts. I am always trying to figure out ways to get them to eat healthier. Thankfully, they eat three healthy meals, but they try to skimp on the veggies especially when we are not home.

This last week or so has been atypical at our house. We spent a lot of time on the road and at friends houses. When thinking about what they had eaten over the last couple of days I realized most of it has been junk food: fries, chips, cookies, sweets, and pizza. So I decided something needs to be done. This morning as soon as they woke up I gave each one of the boys a bowl of grapes and a cup of milk; I did not even ask if they were hungry. They both ate and drank then asked for seconds. A couple hours later my older son Ron asked for eggs, and ate them with pita bread. We visited some friends in the afternoon and Ron's choice for lunch was pizza; he would not try the salad. He usually eats salad but he preferred pizza today. For desert he had a piece of cake and some fruit.

Over the course of the day he only had 3 servings of fruits and zero vegetables. That evening I made him sautéed green beans with a side of rice. He ate well, he even had some plain yogurt on the side. By the evening he had 3 fruits, 2 vegetables, 5 grains, 3 dairy, and 2 protein. Which is good for a 5 year old.

Keeping fast and easy fruits and vegetables your kids like on hand is important for making sure they meet their daily requirements. Tangerines, bananas, grapes and apples are all good choices for children. Keep bags of frozen stir-fry, green beans, peas and carrots for fast options when kids are hungry and you need a quick meal. Another fruit children tend to like is avocado, serve with a splash of lemon and multigrain tortilla chips for a quick healthy snack. Experiment with different foods and include your children in the process, you'll be surprised at what they are willing to try.