In: I Want My Abs Back

Great tips and I employ most of them already.

Both of my kids (ages 1 and 3) LOVE brocolli the most out of all the veggies. They also like corn and peas, occasionally carrots and sweet potatoes. My son loves baked potatoes with a little cheese and I rarely salt their food. They also wolf down their meat almost every time and I usually use low sodium ready made marinades mixed 1:1 ratio with lemon juice. I find my 1 year old is at a stage right now where she won't eat unless she's on the floor or sitting at the dining table like a big girl. It's okay though, I was getting tired of working around the high chair.

Posted by maryleo9 on 09/22/2009 05:07 PM

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On getting young children to eat healthy foods:

Obviously, children will not eat what they see adults treat with scorn. Alternately, one way to get childrne to eat something is for an adult to set an example,perhaps with a little smacking of lips and other indicatons of delight.

Children often do not like a mushy or slimy texture. Thus, they will devour raw mushrooms and despise cooked ones. One reason so many people believe that children and vegetables don't mix is that for a long time, many people believed that vegetables were not done until they were a mushy mess. Well, boiling a vegetable to slime is nearly pointless, because by then the color, falvor, and especially the nutrition is gone! So, offer children veggies served raw or lightly steamed. Don't insult the vegetables or the children by adding salt, sugar, sauce, butter or any other substance that detracts from the natural flavor and beauty.

Serving size matters, as does presentation. Offer a child just a scant spoonful and if workable, serve it in bite-sized pieces. Children, especially tots, love finger food. Sure, you may "eat my peas with honey ...  'cuz it keeps them on my knife" but weee tots are developing the pincers-grasp, and will try anything that they can pick up between thumb and forefinger. Even preschooolers and primary grade children will happily forgo silverware to eat finger foods. Note that many of the junk foods that children accept so easily are eaten with nothing more complicated than bare hands.

I have waitressed in a Japanese restaurant. You would not believe the number of children I've seen suck the rice out of sushi rolls who balk at eating the same rice from a bowl with any kind of utensil. (if you want, I can list several kinds of sushi that have no raw ingredients.) By the way, children seem to like drinking ths soup much better than spooning it.

Some children do feel that each food needs to be kept separate. When offering healthy foods you want them to love, be sure to keep the different items separate.  A divided bowl or plate can help, as can tiny dishes (like the dipping bowls for the soy saude) or cupcake papers or whetever you can contrive. Or you can offer a taste of one or three items, and then offer some other tiny portions after the "first course" has been devoured.

Meats, like vegetables, are more acceptable to children if served non-mushy and in bite-size pieces. Sauces for dipping usually just distract tots, and usually only add fats and salt and sugar that don't make food healthier.

Children will eat better if meal time is set apart from play and other activities, but pretty relaxed. Television does not go with meals!

If alll else fails, offer young children healthy food as snacks. Offer two choices, such as apple or cheese, celery with peanut butter or cream cheese, whole-grain bread or pieces of chicken, peas or oat rings, carrot sticks or bite-size tomatoes. This gives a child the feeling that s/he has the power to choose, without making the choice overwhelming for either child or cook. Don't worry too much if some days are all vegetable and other days all protein choices are made -- children offered a good assortment of healthy foods will get a pretty good balance over time.

Posted by colorfuleats on 09/22/2009 12:54 AM

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I must say that children enjoy eating all kinds of vegetables if we just expose them and eat these same vegies ourselves. I let my children and now my grandchildren help plant vegies with me and then they want to eat the fruit of their labors. Some of my grandchildren consider tomatoes and green beans dessert.

dipat

Posted by dipat2005 on 08/27/2009 03:56 PM

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1 of 1 Mixers found this reply helpful.

I do not like sweet potato fries but in the winter, love to bake a sweet potato and have it for dinner.  I have never seen either the purple or white ones, evidently not available where I live in New Mexico.

Posted by Robscott on 08/27/2009 11:03 AM

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Hello everyone.  The white sweet potatoe I referred to was an organically grown veggie seasonally available from fall through March.  They are small and narrow, white skins and flesh.  I love to combine them with russets for mashed as they add a destinctive flavor.  Very yummy and I am a fussy eater.  My kids like them in mashed but will not eat them alone or eat a yam. 

Posted by Chocolatedreamgirl on 08/27/2009 09:54 AM

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2 of 2 Mixers found this reply helpful.

I decided when my kids were born that they would learn to enjoy all kinds of vegetables. Since I already love vegetables, it wasn't hard for me. But whenever I heard or read "children don't like vegetables," I think, "no, parents fail to teach their children the joy of eating vegetables."

I love sweet potatoes and yams, but alas, even these are rather high in carbs. When I bake them, I do not contaminate them with any kinds of oily or fatty glop, I sprinkle them with a little bit of cinnamon or a combination of spices, and that is fabulous. They are also pretty good  plain.

I find purple yams and purple yam spread in Asian or international grocery stores. That is easy in this area, because the military base brings all kinds of people. I've seen "white" (they are much paler, but not really snow white) yams in regular grocery stores. Other similar foods are pumpkin, winter squashes, or carrot mixed into mashed potato.

Posted by colorfuleats on 08/26/2009 04:44 PM

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My first experience with Sweet Potato Fries was at Southside Ribs in Sparta, IL.  They served them with a sweet praline sauce for dipping that was absolutely sinful.  I've been looking for the sauce recipe.  Anyone have one or something similar.

Posted by suzieq1210 on 07/31/2009 06:41 PM

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I have never had sweet potato fries.  I like sweet potatoes.  What do they taste like?

Posted by XTREMESCRAPPER on 07/31/2009 04:36 PM

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 Alice, I'm going to try your method.  I love fried sweet potatoes but I'm trying to eat healthier.  Baking them sounds like a good alternative.  Thanks for sharing.

Posted by Susankline on 06/11/2009 11:47 AM

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4 of 4 Mixers found this reply helpful.

I drizzle a little olive oil on mine on a cookie sheet, salt them and bake them in a 400 degree oven for 15 or 20 minutes.   They are wonderful.

Posted by AliceMcKean on 06/11/2009 02:38 AM

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