Fun With Food

What if I told you there is a very easy solution to getting your kids to eat well? What if all you have to do to get your kids to fall in love with nutritious food is to let them have fun with it? For most kids, having fun and spending time as a family is all it takes to get them to participate in family meals and eat what is being served. So how do you make eating fun? Here are some simple ways to get kids excited about eating healthy.

Keep it Simple with Real Food

Healthy foods don’t have to be elaborate. Introducing your kids at a young age to foods in their natural state is one of the easiest ways to cultivate a healthy eater for life. My son Harvest (left) was first introduced to avocados and bananas, and they are still some of his favorites as a teenager today. Fresh fruits and vegetables come in all shapes and colors. Have your child pick out a rainbow of fruits and veggies from our produce department to try at home.

Serve Dinner for Breakfast

Meatloaf and salad for breakfast? Why not! If it was a healthy meal for dinner, it’s still a healthy meal for breakfast. Morning toast easily becomes a meatloaf sandwich with a handful of greens, all of which makes a great protein- and fiber-rich breakfast that balances blood sugar and energy. Flipping the meals around also adds a little unconventional creativity and helps kids open their minds to eating what is best and not what is scripted. It also makes for a quick grab-and-go breakfast since it’s already prepared.

Let Your Kids Pick Their Own Snacks

When people feel a part of something, they tend to be more committed and invested in it. So let your kids pick out their own snacks. Our monthly Nourish magazine has our Li’l Bee located on items that are kid-approved and kid-friendly. Have your kids sit down with our Nourish magazine, find Li’l Bee and circle foods they want for snacking. Bring that magazine to the store and let them help you find the items they circled. Many of our stores even have small, kid-sized shopping carts so they can be “in charge” of these snacks and more items on your list.

Get Kids Cooking

If kids can make it they will most likely eat it. Once a week have your kids help plan and prepare a meal. Kids of all ages can participate. Preschoolers and above can stir ingredients, toss salads or rub olive oil onto vegetables before roasting. Even small children can sit in their highchair and mix things in a bowl or play with safe kitchen tools. Another fun idea is to have family-style meals so kids can serve themselves instead of getting a prepared plate placed in front of them.

BY BEA JAMES, DIRECTOR OF NOURISH, AND HER SON HARVEST, MASTER FOOD FUN MAKER