How I Get My Family to Eat Healthy Food

Today the high five moms are sharing how we feed our family healthfully.

Below are a few things I think have helped. I’m honestly never completely confident in saying anything I have done has caused a specific outcome. After all, some kids are just good eaters. But generally, most need a little encouragement in the right direction.

Show Enthusiasm
I get a little overexcited about good food. Picture words like: “Oh man, this is really good.” Or, “Look how red those tomatoes are,” or “Yummm!”

It borders on ridiculous, but I think it’s a good thing. My kids have caught a little of this enthusiasm. Not to say that they are thrilled about everything I put in front of them, but they are interested in trying different things.

Education
I’m fairly vocal about why we choose certain foods over others. I’m not sure this was my idea, but rather an answer to the numerous questions from one very curious daughter.

I try not to go overboard.

She knows butter is better than margarine and also looks for full fat yogurt at the grocery store. When noticing labels with fake sugar and the words non-fat, she says, “Gross.” Like mother, like daughter.

Plan and Prepare

I wish I was better at this because it makes all the difference in the world.

Young kids are hungry all. the time. If I am not on top of my game, other more convenient, less-healthy choices are made.

Creating a menu plan always helps a great deal.

Taking an afternoon to prepare snacks, pre-cook meat, and make broth, gives me a lot of easy options during the week and allows me to smile when I hear the words, “I’m hungry,” for the tenth time today!

I also double and triple recipes when possible and freeze the extra. The great thing about this is that it is usually very little work to make more of something. It also reduces clean up since the needed utensils are already being used.

Let the kids help

Allowing my kids to help in the kitchen is one of the ways they have been able to learn so much about food. It also seems to encourage them to eat better. Most kids are willing to at least try something they have helped prepare.

Allow treats every once in a while

As a kid, there was a lot of food that was off limits to me. When I would go to a friend’s home, I would eat treats like crazy! It was the forbidden fruit.

I don’t want my kids to become obsessed with what they can’t have. I’m trying to teach them what is best, but that it is okay to have some things in moderation.

I would love to hear your opinion on this, since it is something I wrestle with.

Don’t buy the “bad” stuff.

If there’s junk in the house, that’s what we want to eat. It just seems to call from the pantry.

Buying healthy food and making it readily available (by planning and preparing) allows me to keep them full and nourished as well as helping them develop a taste for the good stuff.

Visit the other High Five Moms to see what tips they are sharing: