Getting your kids to eat healthy foods can be a real challenge. From saying no to having a full-blown tantrum, it often seems easier to just give in and give them their favorite foods and to be done with the fight for the evening. 

We’ve all been there, and it’s okay to feel like it’s hard to get your picky eaters to eat better. 

Dilute All Sugary Drinks 

Sugary drinks taste downright delicious, but they are also downright unhealthy. Natural juice does have more nutritional value than things like soda, but even then, the sugar content is just way too high for your little ones (and for you too, mom and dad!) 

There are lots of fantastic alternatives to drinking sugary drinks that taste just as good if not better. A great way to keep these sugary drinks in your kids’ lives is to dilute the juice with some water. This way, they still get the taste without being drowned in fructose syrup found in many drinks.

You could opt to make your own smoothies. While smoothies bought from stores tend to be high in sugar, if you make them at home with fresh or frozen fruit, you can control how much sugar is involved. Although fruit still has lots of natural sugar, consuming this is much better for your kids.

If you’re looking for inspiration, then be sure to check out My Roots Juice Bar and Kitchen. They have lots of smoothies and cold-pressed juices that your kids will adore!

Make Eating Raw Veggies a Joy!

Vegetables are so important for a healthy diet, baking your meals fun and different for a child while also including their 5 a day can seem a challenge. However, it doesn’t need to be.

Recipes are easy to learn and can make your child learn to love vegetables soon enough. For example, did you know there are strategies you can take to make them more nutritious? In many cases, cooking your vegetables will break down the cell walls so that more antioxidants and minerals (like calcium) are released. 

Cooking, however, isn’t always the best method. There are many frail vitamins, including Vitamin C and Vitamin B that come out when cooked and water is released from the veggies. That is why boiling vegetables is one of the worst ways to cook your greens. 

This all depends on the type of veggie you eat as well. Some foods have what is known as myrosinase which when eaten raw released isothiocyanates, an anti-cancer compound. A good way to eat greens raw with your kids is to create a healthy, delicious dip that they can only have with their raw veggies. We recommend making a yogurt-based ranch dressing! 

Introduce Oats to Their Diet 

Oats are great for your budget and your health. They are packed full of antioxidants, are a great source of fiber, help regulate blood sugar, and are great at lowering cholesterol and weight. They are the perfect breakfast companion for adults and children. 

The perfect breakfast for your whole family is, once a week, to create an oatmeal mixture with real maple syrup, walnuts, blueberries, strawberries, and then to flavor it further with brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. It will be a treat for the whole family and a great meal for your children’s health. 

Fruit for Breakfast, Every Day! 

Breakfast is key to a healthy kid and gives them the energy they need to thrive at school and to be their absolute best! What they eat for breakfast, however, matters. You need to choose foods that will keep them fueled and ready to go for hours. 

Fruit is the perfect way to do this. Fruit is high in fiber, vitamins, and potassium. Their high water content also works to keep your kids hydrated and healthy. Pair fruit with a breakfast of toast, eggs, cheese, or yogurt for a hearty breakfast that will give them the energy they need to learn, have fun, and be their best. Even when you want to treat the kids to breakfast out on the weekend, thanks to PS GREEN restaurant located in The Crossings, Kendall, you can still enjoy a healthy breakfast of fruit toast or their ‘healthy breakfast’ of yogurt, granola, and mixed fruits. 

Make Homemade, Healthy Snacks 

Skip the store-bought snacks and make your own! You can make it a fun activity with the whole family and make homemade granola that contains many healthy and delicious addition from nuts, to dried fruit, to even yummy ingredients like yogurt, honey, peanut butter, or some chocolate chips. 

You can make them in bulk and save big on your weekly shop as well, and your kids will have snacks that will satisfy their hunger and give them the energy they need to continue having fun and learning. 
Each week you can change up what kind of snacks you make. One week you could try a banana nut cake and the next you could try a carrot cake! Getting your children eating healthy alternatives instead of store-bought snacks at a young age will encourage them to not only lead a healthy lifestyle but also love cooking and baking, both of which are vital life skills.