This week on Simplicity TV, we’re sharing my top 5 tips for parents with picky eaters – some strategies to help get your kids to eat the nourishing foods you know they need!

  1. Cut the crap! Don’t buy the junk food, just keep it out of the house. Kids are smart and when they know there is ‘yummy’ ice cream, cookies, chips or chocolate in the house, they will do whatever they have to do to get those treats into their bellies! If you want to keep an occasional treat on hand, keep it hidden. They shouldn’t even know that it is in the house.
  2. My favourite Simplicity tip – lay out a 12 cup muffin tray and fill that tray with a variety of snacks. Try raisins, veggie sticks/chips, blueberries, dark chocolate chips, cucumber slices or homemade energy bites cut up into smaller pieces. Try to mix it up and get a taste for what they like. Kids, especially smaller children, love to take pit stops and fuel up between play-time. Children don’t want to sit down for a large meal – they have much more important things to attend to (J)
  3. Lead by example. You know that your kids should be eating their fruits and vegetables every single day in order to keep them healthy and to keep their immune systems up. Guess what? So do YOU! You can’t expect your children to eat their broccoli and carrots if Mom or Dad wont eat them. You have to be willing to try new things and encourage your children to do the same. This is going to set them up with healthy eating habits FOR LIFE. Start now and they’ll thank you later.
  4. Create a weekly meal plan and involve the whole family. If you don’t go into the week with a plan, you end up looking into a packed fridge and thinking there is nothing for you to eat or prepare. Ask your family members what they want to have this week. Each member gets to pick a meal that they want and base your grocery list off those meals. If your children pick burgers and French fries – make the homemade version of this option. Make your own burgers and roast your own homemade fries. Roasting veggies is so simple, quick and easy – especially in these cooler months coming up.
  5. Don’t over-stress about it. If the only fruit your children want to eat is pears and apples, then let them eat it. If they wont even touch fruits and vegetables then you need to consider some good quality supplements. The baseline recommendations for a healthy child go as follows:
  • A whole foods supplement like the Juice Plus Gummies. These gummies contain the nutrients from 17 different non-GMO fruits and vegetables, which are guaranteed to get into your kids every. single. day. The bonus with this product is that if you buy the supplement for yourself, your kids get this product FOR FREE.
  • Vitamin D – Although we refer to Vitamin D as a vitamin, it really functions more like a hormone, being produced in the body, helping to enhance your metabolic system, all cellular functions and the integrity of your genes. Vitamin D is produced when our skin is exposed to the sun. After the autumn equinox, our bodies cannot synthesize vitamin D. We are too far North (here in Canada) from the equator. Supplementation is necessary in the winter season. It will have a profound effect on your immune system and it has been indicated that it may be involved in helping to prevent the flu. VITAMIN D3 supplements are most effective when taken in drop form. It is cost effective and painless to use. Just a few drops a day has proven to be effective. For Children: ages infant – 2 years 400iu daily / 2-10 years 1000iu daily / 10+ 2000iu daily For Adults: base is 2000-4000iu daily
  • Healthy fat – great soucres of healthy fat through the use of coconut oil, olive oil, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds pil, wild fish, avocado and nuts and seeds. If your children have nut allergies, stick to seeds (hemp, flax, sunflower and chia seeds)
  • A good quality probiotic supplement – Genestra is a great brand, as well as Sisu and Genuine Health

BONUS TIP: keep your little ones HYDRATED! Many cravings come simply from a deep level of dehydration. Aim for 1 litre for smaller children, and 2 liters for active school aged kids. If they wont drink water – keep trying! Sneak it into smoothies, try hydrating fresh pressed juices like Juice Matters, coconut water with pineapple juice or try adding some tasty fruits into they water to infuse it with natural flavour. Keep trying and make it a habit for your kids.

As always, if you have any questions leave a comment, contact Jenn on Facebook or contact her directly.

Smoothies are a great way to add some clean living into your body. If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list and receive our free 21-day Simplicious Smoothie Challenge, along with

Disclaimer: The information contained is intended to be used for general health care information purposes only, and should not be considered complete or used in place of a visit, call, consultation or advice from a physician and/or healthcare provider. Individuals are encouraged to contact their own private physician or healthcare provider regarding continuation or changes in their symptoms.​

 

Posted in Childrens Nutrition