Training Children to Eat Healthy

I have people I don't even know telling me how "great" it is that my kids will eat that.  And then in most cases they proceed to tell me that their children or grandchildren would never eat those things.   And in rare cases they even stop and ask me "just how" I get my kids to eat that. I've even been told that I'm lucky and just happened to get children that like healthy food. Ummm, yeah....  (Like anyone could be so lucky to have all 4 children just happen to like cucumbers and carrots with ranch dressing...)

Actually, it's quite easy to teach children to eat healthy things...IF you start at birth.

Here's how I did it:  You start out with breast milk.  And then you gradually start to make your own baby food.  I used whatever we were eating and a blender.  It's economical too.  Baby food is expensive.  I was careful not to season the food too much when they were very young.  I'd make the baby food and then season the food the rest of us were going to eat.

(And it's a good idea to start out with one thing at a time to cut back on allergies.  Or, that way if an allergy exists you can realize it right away.  If you throw all kinds of things into the food processor and the child has a reaction you will be stressing out over what it was and then taking weeks to figure it all out.) 

Then, when the kids were old enough to eat table food, they got to eat what I eat.  Which includes nothing but healthy food.  Butter, sour cream, whole milk, cheese and yogurts are great for little children as long as there are no milk/dairy allergies.  Young children need lots of natural, healthy fats.  It's imperative for brain development.

Things I NEVER let them eat the first 3 years (our "NO-NO List"):

1. Hot dogs/sausage
2. White bread
3. Bologna 
4. Soda
5. Kool-Aid
6. Doritos and other flavored chips (MSG)
7. Candy

Of coarse, I understand that daddys like to sneak things (like Oreos and Mt. Dew, just sayin'.....) just to get a response.  (From me more than the kid probably.)  And then you have all the grandmas and grandpas at church that feel it's their duty to hand out candy before, during and after every service.....   So, there are times when life happens.  Kids eat things that they shouldn't.  So, I try really hard to behave and be healthy at home so all the "fun" at church won't do too much damage.  And I admit it, kids do need to have some fun...but I try to keep that down to a bare minimum.  OK, not really.....=)  I would hate to go over board with the "no candy" rule and then the kids grow up and never want to eat healthy again.  That would be defeating my purpose. 

After about 3 years old I try to limit the items on the NO-NO list to a bare minimum.  Like I said, we go to birthday parties, and we eat at other people's homes, and I'm not about to be rude and insulting and inform them that my children can't eat their food.  I don't play that way.  But I do politely ask for water instead of soda or Kool-aid.   Water is easy to come by and no one ever gets offended over that.

The most important thing is to teach them by example.  I eat what they eat.  I teach them that God made it for them because He loves them, and then I tell them WHY it's healthy for them. (What that particular vegetable is good for.) I  also try to make it fun.  The more colorful your food is the healthier it is and the more fun it will be for your children.  Oh, yeah, and colorful doesn't mean M&Ms and skittles either!  :)  I also allow my children to play with their food as long as we are at home and no one is there with us.  Cucumbers and black olives make great eye balls and carrots make noses, and if you are my son ranch dressing makes for a great snot ball.   I know that's not what you wanted to hear right now....  Red peppers make pretty red lips and the "fluffy" part of broccoli makes an awesome make-up brush as long as you have avocado dip or ranch so something to use for blush.

~ Jennabeth and Wesley at the grocery store.  

They like to sit there while I push the cart. ~

For Older Kids:  I recommend that you lead by example.  Start by taking away all soda and sugary drinks.  Replace all breads, pastas with whole grains and white rice with brown rice.  You can do some major diet over-hauling in the kitchen without anyone knowing.  If you offer a healthy meal and the child doesn't want to eat it, don't make him.  But don't give him anything else to eat until he eats the plate (or the food on the plate) you served him first.  Don't let the kid win.  They will eat when they are hungry enough.  You can do it!  Be the parent and take back the health of your family!  Your kid will feel better in a week or two and will behave better also.  He will learn more quickly, and have more energy...good energy.  Not the bouncing-off-the-walls kind of energy.  You will love the new kid you get in exchange for all the old junk food!  I dare you to try it and then let me know how it went for you.  But you have to go at least a full 2 weeks without soda and sugary drinks to see the big difference.  It may sound hard.  But it gets easier and you will love the way you feel!!  SOO worth it!!