14 Proven Healthy Kid Tips

Kids aren’t picky, they just know how to put on a great act!

When my son was 6 months old he had a cough for a year.  What I soon realized, the cough wasn't from being sick, it was him craving attention. It was an, “attention cough.”  I noticed the only time he coughed was when I wasn’t paying attention to him!  He would cough and I would come running.  Kids are born to get their parents' attention. 

Kids will do anything to get their way. But here’s one thing I learned when my kids were little, kids are human and they will not allow their bodies to go hungry (Duh).  

It’s not that they won’t eat broccoli, it’s that they know you’ll give them junk food if they beg, cry and scream bloody murder. They are SMART!! I mean, isn’t that what you do when you don’t get wine?  

Remember you’re the parent and your kids will leave the nest eating how they were taught.  If their childhood is full of finger foods or convenient drive-by fast foods they will more than likely eat that type of food for life. Unless they have a health scare they will live an adult life hating vegetables.  

Break the cycle and instill a few healthy ways into your kid’s nutrition regimen. 

14 proven ways to get your kids to eat healthy:

1. Start them off slow (DON’T JUST EXPECT THEY’LL EAT BRUSSEL SPROUTS). Be patient. 
2. It can take your kid up to 11 tries before they like something new, don’t give up
3. Use this phrase often, “In order to eat the TREAT, you need to eat your VEGGIEs first.”
4. Pick a “VEGGIE OF THE WEEK.” Ask them which new veggie they want to try.  
5. Make it fun but, don’t award with junk food. Try a treasure hunt in the grocery store. 
6. Use fun dipping sauces, marinara, hummus, Greek yogurt
7. Take your kid to the grocery store and have them pick out a fruit or veggie.
8. Have a “Kid Pick” dinner night 1 day each week. Have them to pic 1 protein, 1 veggie, 1 complex carb.
9. Put healthy foods at their eye level. It’s easy to grab & always accessible.  
10. Instead of reading a book, read the ingredients list on the back of their favorite boxed food and research what each word means (that will be eye opening.)
11. 70/30 Rule is perfect acceptable with kids!
12. Relate Superhero’s to healthy eating: “Spider Man eats broccoli to climb walls.”
13. Snack ideas: kale chips, nuts, celery or apples w/nut spread, yogurt parfaits, sparkling water, trail mix, popcorn, chocolate hummus & strawberries (your kids will devour it!), red pepper sticks with olives on the ends (looks like a sucker!)
14. LEAD BY EXAMPLE: #monkeyseemonkeydo

If you’re serious about feeling good and losing stubborn weight, take your food sensitivity test seriously. Removing the hidden stressors will help you break free from the vicious yo-yo weight loss cycle. Schedule a Break thru the Gut Rut strategy call with me today to start understanding your reactive foods and how to balance your system to start feeling good. Schedule your session here-> BREAK THRU

Be Gutsy as a Mother,

-Mary