I feel that many times parents decide to transform their own diets, but they don't' transform the diets of their children. There is a reason why we are wanting to clean up our diet so why wouldn't we want to do the same for our children. eating clean is not about weight loss but more about long term health and well being.
Many times, the biggest road block for parents to stay on track with their clean eating is their children because of the "kid food" we may have in the house. It is so easy to have one bite turn into a whole meal or to have temptations get the best of us because it is readily available in our cupboards on the kid shelf.
Why can't our kids eat fruits and veggies and clean snacks instead of gold fish and cookies, pizza and mac n cheese.
Let's rewind to 5 years ago...I was the mom that made a meal for my husband and I and then made a separate "kid" meal. It was usually pasta, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, pizza, or mac n cheese. That is what I grew up on and that is what the kids like. I was a good mom by making them what they liked and feeding them that right?
The last 5 years have been a very slow transformation to get to where we are now. I am very happy and proud to say that my entire family of 5 including my kids (9, 6, 4) eat clean.
Here are some tips to slowly transition your kids to clean eating...
1. Involve them in baking and cooking. They are proud of what they have made and will be more likely to eat it if they made it.
2. Talk about food. Why we need to eat different things. Where it comes from. Different ways to use it.
3. Share your food. Have them try some of your food. Have your children try a few bites of what you are eating before they eat what they are comfortable with. It may start with a slice of avocado.
4. Give your children a choice. Instead of making "kid" food, let them choose the vegetable they want to eat. They can have their vegetable of choice if they at least try another vegetable option. Our oldest daughter hates vegetables. She will eat cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, and peas but will not touch anything else. We always have what she will eat at hand but she does need to try what the rest of us eat too.
5. Make it fun. Have an eat the color of the rainbow contest. Make designs with food. Be food critics. Each person at the table has to say something they like about the meal and offer a way to change it for next time. Use cookie cutters on fruit and serve it in different ways.
6. Recreate favorites in a healthy and clean way. Make your own chicken nuggets and mac n cheese. Have pizza night where you make your own clean pizza.
7. Have a time when kids can get treats. Let them be kids and eat what they want when you go to a restaurant or on certain days of the month.
8. Include your children in the shopping process. It may be easier to shop without them but shopping can be so much fun and they can pick things they want to try. I love going through the produce section of Whole Foods with my kids. We find so many amazing things and we get them and try them. A trip to the farmer's Market is another great opportunity to educate them and get them to try new local things.
9. Plant a garden so they can see the whole process.
10. As a parent stop buying the CRAP!
Nina Pears
