While my boys are certainly no angels (ha!), the one thing I will give them is that they are willing to try any food. We've gone through so many food trends over the years, and regardless of the trend they always are willing to eat their greens.
I've noticed a few things over the years of working with other mom's. I thought I'd share a few theories that I have on how to avoid raising a picky eater.
First of all, start them young. Start with the greens and bitter foods first, and don't give them anything sweet - even bananas or other sweet fruits - until they are over 1 year and then keep those as a 'once-a-week' occasion. This goes hand-in-hand with also being sure to avoid refined sugar at all costs. This gives kids an excellent chance to build up their immune system, meaning they will fight off more viruses. They will also stick to a routine better, and sleep better.
Don't give kids juice. Water only! We didn't even give our kids cow's milk - and still don't. We went against our doctor's advice because Gage started off with a dairy allergy that he eventually grew out of, but we felt it best to avoid giving him baby cow growth hormones. Both my boys are healthy and strong, so I've never felt they have suffered by not having cow's milk.
A few quick facts about cow's milk:
- Over 70% of North American's are actually lactose intolerant and don't even know it
- Dairy contributes to ear infections
- Dairy - cow's milk - does not in fact make your bones strong like dairy farmer's claim. Vitamin D makes your bones strong, dairy makes them brittle. You have a higher chance of being diagnosed with Osteoporosis if you are a milk drinker.
- Dairy is highly inflammatory
- Cow's milk was not meant for human consumption. Think about it: Would you drink the milk of a kangaroo? Cow's milk was literally meant to help a baby cow grow as big as possible. Human's are not cows.
For more information about dairy, check out The China Study by clicking here.
The other thing I will encourage mom's to do, is to not stop trying to get your kids to eat healthy foods. Keep offering it, don't give up, and don't make them a second dinner. Our house rule is always that if you don't eat your dinner, you get nothing else until breakfast. Our kids are bottomless on a regular basis (I actually have to pack Finnigan 2 lunches every day because otherwise I get notes home from teachers telling us we didn't send enough food), so this rule usually works for us. Both boys would rather eat the broccoli on their plate than be hungry.
I knew I needed to do the opposite of what my parents did to me as a kid. I wasn't allowed to leave the table until I was done. There was no way around it. I'd sit with vein-y chicken or fat-filled steak and cry as my meal got colder and colder. It certainly did not encourage me to eat!
The biggest thing we started doing that really helped with our efforts to get the kids to eat better has always been to get them busy in the kitchen. They LOVE helping make meals. They stand on a chair at the counter and help put together salads, and they are a big part of our meal planning process as well. If they help you make it, they are more likely to eat it.
I also think there is something to be said about getting your kids to eat foods from all over the world. I grew up in a house that ate strictly western meals - meat and potatoes with a small side of veggies. My parents to this day will not eat Indian food or Thai food. We make an effort to make a dish from another part of the world once a week. Our kids really love it, and we've collected a few favourites that repeat on a weekly basis.
If you struggle with finding recipes that are nutritious, easy to make and don't cost a fortune, just know that it IS possible to pull this off. Pinterest is your best friend! For those that struggle to get kids to eat veggies, check out Jessica Seinfeld's cookbooks here. These cookbooks help you sneak veggies into popular dishes, and your kids won't even know what they are eating!
Have a question? Reach out! I'd love to elaborate more on this topic later on, and your feedback is important!
Gage, age 4, munching on a kale and quinoa salad
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