Three Ways I Add Nutrition to My Kids’ Meals

Shaklee has a new blog called Shaklee Health Wise.

This great new blog has some recent health info and easy ways to incorporate a little better health into your daily lives.

I want to pass on this info to you and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

This issue of Shaklee Health Wise by Laura Evans highlights on how to add extra nutrition to kids meals.

This is by no means, an easy task! Children, especially young children, seem to like the same things over and over again - Mac & cheese, peanut butter & jelly, chicken nuggets, etc.

We sigh as we find ourselves serving the same old thing over and over again. We know they should eat better, but how do we do that?

In addition to the ideas from Laura, I am also including a few easy ways to improve on the more familiar type type diets are kids eat.

1.) Baby Steps: Make changes gradually. The ideas listed by Laura Evans below are great ideas, but may be a bit much to throw at our kids into all at once. So I recommend taking it slow. 

If your child is on a Mac & Cheese only diet for right now then throw in some cooked broccoli with it or even serve it on the side. Most kids will eat broccoli with cheese on it. Serve it with a piece of whole grain bread with a little organic jam on it and you are getting a serving of grains, fruit and veggies.

2.) Ask for their input: When you ask kids to help pick out the fruit and veggies at the store, they are more interested in eating it, especially if it's something new. Tell them we all have to try a new vegetable a week, but they get to pick it. Then let them help you find recipes online for ways to prepare it. Serve it with a favorite food, like chicken nuggets and enforce the rule of  you don't have to eat it all, but you do have to try it. If one cooking way doesn't go over well, look for a different way to fix it and you might find a tasty alternative.

3.) Everything in moderation: We all know we need a little sunshine for our health, but we also know too much and we will get burned. It's the same when it comes to food. We need a variety of good health food, but we also need to enjoy what we eat or we won't be following that diet for very long. It's OK to have the occasional hot dog or pop now and then as long as it's given infrequently, say with Friday night pizza during family time. It's when certain bad for you foods become a frequent visitor do they cause us harm. So go ahead and have a little ice cream, just save some for the rest of us!

4.) Lead by example: Eat well balanced and healthy meals yourself and limit the amount of junk food and pop you bring into the house and you will find your children following your example. Telling your kids and forcing them to eat healthier when all they see you downing is potato chips and pop yourself is hypocritical and kids will see right through that. The family that eats well and exercises together will get healthier and be happier together.

I hope you found these tips helpful in your quest to live a healthier life! Be sure to read Three Ways I Add Nutrition to My Kids’ Meals at Shaklee Health Wise!

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Wishing you the best of health,

Julie