The science behind picky eaters

10 ways to get your children eating healthier food

1. Swap sweets. This is really obvious but worth noting. Eliminate processed junk food and sweets and replace them with naturally sweet foods. Fruit is the star here – have cut fruit available in the fridge and whole fruit on the counter.  Children will choose healthy food if it’s readily available (and there is nothing yummier hiding in the pantry).
2. Smoothies are a fantastic way to get fruit and veges into children’s bellies. Mix berries, sweet fruit and a soft green vegetable like spinach with almond milk for a tasty and colourful treat. Red and Green Shots by Nutrient Rescue make nutrition even easier by adding a few servings of fruit and veg as a teaspoon of powder. Many kids love the Red Shot just on its own – as a shot or frozen popsicle mould with a bit of honey.
3. Give peas a chance. Introduce veges often, but do not give up if they are rejected the first few tries. Most kids need to sample a stronger flavour 5-10 times before they accept it as edible (or even begin to like it).  Try introducing a rejected food in a variety of ways. Hated raw broccoli? Try steamed with butter and a dash of salt.  Still a no? Try blending broccoli into pasta or sauces.
4. Get the kids involved and allow them to make (some) choices. Several studies show children are more likely to eat healthy and new food if they are involved in making it (4). Allow children to pick what they want from a variety of healthy options – whether they choose peas, broccoli or carrots doesn’t matter, they will feel they have some control over the situation, and you will have succeeded in getting them to eat a vegetable!
5. Teach your children to grow something. Allowing kids to grow, harvest and then cook food guarantees they will want to sample the fruit (or veg) of their labour. Start with sprouts or micro-greens. These are ready in a few days (ideal for short attention spans), are guaranteed organic, and tend to be more nutritious than supermarket produce. Sunflower sprouts are excellent for kids – healthy and fun to grow a few into beautiful sunflowers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEWcO22X8yw
6. Dips are it!  If your kids won’t eat vegetables, experiment with dips. Guacamole, hummus, yoghurt, even chocolate dips may be fair game. Getting the veges in, even if it comes with a bit of sugar, is worth it.  A sprinkle of brown sugar over cooked veges is a useful trick. Use their evolutionary drive for sugar to their advantage, remembering they will outgrow it.
7. Relax a bit. It’s easy to become a perfectionist but not worth the stress. I tell parents that if a child’s diet consists of whole foods at least 70% of the time, some treats are fine. Try not to substitute sweets for love, reward or attention but rather if the situation calls for it, like a birthday party, let them eat cake!  Also, remember health is the sum of years of behaviour. Eating junk on occasion or at a special event is fine.
8. Don’t make special meals for kids. After the toddler years, consider no longer playing the role of short-order cook. Involving children in meal planning or preparation and allowing them to choose what’s on their plate helps foster lifelong healthy eating habits. Kids notice. When they see you eating and enjoying whole foods, they likely will be open to doing the same.
9. Mimic favourite processed foods at home with healthier options. You can find organic grass-fed hotdogs easily in New Zealand. Make your own chips in the oven from organic potatoes. Use zucchini noodles instead of conventional pasta, and even make healthier versions of brownies and pudding using black beans and avocado. Check out this link: http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2014/04/healthy-flourless-black-bean-avocado-brownies-vegan-and-gluten-free/
10. Remind them of the true superpowers in healthy foods. Try calling veges “superfoods” instead and remind them of how strong, powerful and tall they will grow or how fast they will run if they eat the healthy food served to them.  Enlisting the help of fictional heroes may work too – “You know Wolverine eats spinach to enhance his superpowers, right?”