Here are the Get Them To Eat 3 Easy Concepts! Try them and let us know how or which concept worked for you! Email your great story to: getthemtoeat@gmail.com
Easy Concept #1: Snacks & Nibbles
Have you ever noticed how kids (& adults) love to snack? While we often think of "snacks" as an unhealthy way of eating, it makes for a great option for kids who are not good eaters! Snacks & Nibbles gives kids the perception that their food is quick and easy to eat. Take smaller portions of foods and serve them like a snack. Sometimes, maybe not even on a plate, just on a paper plate or small containers. Kids look at this and think, they don't have to eat dinner...when really they are (or may be) eating exactly the same thing. For those picky eaters, you may have to take an extra moment when preparing a meal to set out certain foods before mixing sauces or casseroles together. That few minutes gives you less stress in the end!
Easy Concept #2: Give Them a Little Independence..."A Choice"
No, I'm not suggesting you turn your child loose to choose whatever they want to eat. However, I am suggesting that you give them options and teach them how to make a good choice. Let's begin with the fact that kids love to choose and want to learn how to make choices on their own. It's what choices you give them that teaches them to choose wisely. If you tell your child they can get any snack they want, they may go for the candy, a pop tart or some sugar snack you really did not want them to have. Instead, hold up two snack bags and give them options between a fruit or vegetable. Maybe the next snack is a choice between fruit snacks or a cheese stick. Snacks are not always the healthiest, but when proportioned correctly, they aren't terrible for you either. A lot of things that aren't good for you is because it's not good in quantity, it's fine to have once in a while. So mix their options with foods they like and new foods to try.
Independence can also come with helping you to make a snack or cook a meal. My daughter was never excited to eat salad until the day I let her put the ingredients into the bowl. All of a sudden it became her salad and she bragged about how she made it. Although helping you cook is not always an option for busy families, it can teach your kids some healthy habits and life skills.
Easy Concept #3: Bridge the Gap
This means find the "Gap" in what your child is not currently eating and work on that. Instead of thinking you need to improve your child's nutrition or health in general, simply work on the "gap" little by little. For instance, if your child eats fruit all the time and is a great eater, but does not like to eat vegetables...then Bridge the Gap in vegetables. One week at a time, introduce one or two items. When you are really desperate to Bridge the Gap, see what you can add to or hide in a food or meal. What?...did I just suggest you trick your kids?! Of course! You won't get away with it forever, so you mine as well do it whenever you can! Here are a couple of examples of how you can Bridge your Gap. (at times this can work on husbands or wives too!)
* Smoothies - Make a strawberry, banana smoothie and add kale or spinach. The fruits take over and they don't taste the kale. You may have to get creative with why it's green, but if you get them to taste it they may just go with it. Healthy options like Greek yogurt, carrots and kale can easily be mixed into smoothies without affecting their taste buds.
* Pancakes & Baking - You can use a shake mix like, Juice Plus Complete and add it into your baking or cooking without changing the taste. If it does change the taste, vanilla and chocolate are always great to the taste buds. The same is true for protein and several powders if appropriate for child's age. Add the Juice Plus Complete Vanilla shake mix into your next batch of pancakes and they will never know you are giving them something good for them.
* Juice Plus gummies for kids - One of the best options on the market right now is Juice Plus chewables, which are simply gummies for kids. This is a whole food source, not a vitamin or supplement that provides you and your family with servings of fruits and vegetables. While we are all suppose to get 6-13 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, even the healthiest person can have difficulty doing that. Juice Plus chewables are simple snacks you can give your kids to Bridge the Gap! Add it to your daily diet and guarantee yourself that you are doing something nutritious for your family. (studies show and experts say, these chewables actually can get your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.) Crazy, I know!
