Struggling with a picky eater? Tips for making healthy foods fun.

If your child is like my son, then they would probably eat chicken nuggets or pizza for every meal.  Here are few tips that have help me and my family.

1. Have as many healthy food options as possible. Remove 90% the junk food and candy. I don’t believe in not having any unhealthy foods. It’s all about how much and how often. Put that little bit of candy and junk food out of your child’s site. It will make a great reward or bargaining chip down the road. Heck, even I like a little treat every night after dinner.
2. Be a good role model. Practice what you preach, and it will become the new normal. Eating well and exercising daily is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your kids. Swimming, biking, running and strength training are my favorites. Running is a great family activity. I love to bring my kids along on my short runs. My son will ride his bike and my daughter will ride her scooter. We all get some exercise and have fun as a family.
3. Talking about how healthy foods effects their little bodies makes it more meaning full. Teach your kids about the vitamins found in the foods they are eating. Tell them what the different vitamins do for their bodies. Teach them about eating a variety of colors and what vitamins are associated with that color.
   1. Purple and Blue vitamin A, C, and K; eggplant, cauliflower, turnips, potatoes, cabbage, asparagus
   2. Green rich in magnesium and is a good source of iron, potassium, calcium, and fiber; broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, broccoli
   3. Orange and Yellow vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and potassium; carrots, yellow and orange peppers, and many varieties of squash and pumpkins
   4. Red vitamin A, C; beets, red peppers, radishes, radicchio, red onions, and red lettuces;
   5. White and light green vitamin E and B; calciumgarlic, onions, leeks, celery, asparagus, kohlrabi, radishes, napa cabbage, squash, fennel, and turnips
   6. For more info check out https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/add-color-to-your-diet-for-good-nutrition
4. Have your kids help you cook. Take them to the store and let them pick out fresh fruits and veggies. My kids are more will to try new things if they helped me cook it.
5. Make healthy smoothies was the only way I could get me son to eat veggies for a couple of years. I hide all those fruits and veggies they won’t eat in a yummy smoothie.

What foods have you hidden in a recipe to get your kids to eat healthy?