Kids Are Picky Eaters. Make Eating Healthy Fun With These Tips and Tricks

Kids are picky and feeding them can be a challenge. There are constant thoughts of what’s healthy and what’s not or just how much junk food is OK. I mean they are kids and can eat whatever they want at this age, right? If this sounds familiar it’s because these are the most common thoughts and concerns I encounter when talking about kids and nutrition.

I think CrossFit Kids has summed up sane nutrition for kids best. As a certified CrossFit Kids instructor, I have found these words a great guideline when feeding kids and talking to kids about nutrition. All kids and parents can understand these simple guidelines and if both kids and parents followed them, we would find happy, healthy households and watch childhood obesity rapidly decline.

CrossFit Kids Sane Nutrition for Kids in 150 words 

Our goal with kids isn't to get them on the zone, but to get them to think and
make good choices about what they eat. Our goal is to teach them very basic
concepts, sugar is bad, protein is good and you need to eat some in every meal.
Nuts and seeds are good fats. Eat them, don't avoid them. Pasta, white bread,
and white rice are not that good for you, stuff that's red, yellow, green and
found in the fruit and vegetable aisle is good for you. Eat a lot of it.

Look at your plate, make a fist, eat that much meat every meal; turn your hand
over and fill it with nuts and seeds, eat that much good fat, fill the rest of
your plate with stuff you found in the fruit and vegetable aisle. Fill your
plate this way at every meal, don't eat more.

How do you take these guidelines and make them work for you at your dinner table? Here are some simple tips to get your kids to clean their plates and keep you from pulling your hair out!

• Bread chicken and fish with almond meal/flour – this is an easy way to give your kids healthy fats and it tastes great. Think healthy chicken nuggets and fish sticks.
• Celery and carrots dipped in peanut butter and then dipped in raisins give your kids an easy snack that’s fun and tasty.
• Cut slices of zucchini and squash and dip into milk and egg wash then dip into whole wheat panko bread crumbs and sauté in olive oil for a crunchy and healthy way to make veggies disappear in a snap.
• Make apples and bananas healthy and fun by cutting the fruit and making peanut butter sandwiches with the fruit instead of using bread. Sprinkle mini dark chocolate chips to top off this sweet and healthy after-school snack.
• Use Greek yogurt with fruit or honey as a dip for fruits and veggies. It’s easy and yummy!

Try these tips and let us know how they work. And share your secrets
for healthy eating with your kids.