CHOICE is the keyword when it comes to getting kids to eat their healthy foods. If you're able, take the child to the grocery store produce section...tell them to pick out their five favorite fruits or vegetables (a good time to practice counting and the difference between fruits and veggies, too!), buy one of each, and take them home. (If he/she chooses to go the veggie route, make sure to let them pick a salad dressing, too.) Then, chop them up, and let him/her build his/her own salad! Let the child mix the fruit up in a bowl, or lay out the veggies in a nice platter.
Letting them run the show (with your guidance) is the key...offer as many options as possible, even down to which fork they want to eat with.
A twist is building their own trail mix. Trail mix is easy to make...cereals (Chex and Cheerios are good), raisins or other dried fruits, nuts (if they're not allergic), even MnMs...again, let the child build his/her own trail mix. They can put in as much cereal, raisins, etc. as they want (well, maybe limit the chocolate candies...)
I'm typing these from a book
Bagel faces
Spread cream cheese over half a bagel. Use vegetable or fruit pieces to make hair eyes, and a smile
Ants on a log
put peanutbutter on a celery stick, and put raisens as ants
Icy wrote: Bagel faces Spread cream cheese over half a bagel. Use vegetable or fruit pieces to make hair eyes, and a smile
I really like this idea! Too cute! I might do it myself. With Philadelphia coming out with all those flavored cream cheeses, I think fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries (any kind of berry, really!) would be delicious. Even pre-prepared/cooked fruits, like those warm, gooey, cinnamon apples.
I know this may seem silly but something I've learned is to put out something a couple things you want them to eat, one of which you know they like, and one they are stubbern about. Tell them they can't have the thing they are stubbern about but they can eat all the other one they want. More often then not they will go for what they "can't have". I even tried this once with pretzels and ice cream. None of the children ate much ice cream, but every time I "turned my back" on them they were getting into the pretzels.
However, I don't do this unless I have to, because I don't think that any parent wants this type of behavior instilled into their child.
One of the healthiest treats I make for the kids I babysit, and i even make them for me is fruit smoothies. what you do is you fill a cup with ice until the whole cup is filled, and dump into the blender. Next, add about 6 -9 strawberries, more if they are really little . Then add a whole banana. Next add about a cup of milk, depending on how much ice you put, you might need to add more milk. Now add 2 tsp. of sugar. Next add a half a cup of vanilla or strawberry yogurt. Blend it all up for about 2 min. serve to the kids, and you can have a glass too, and enjoy.
The kids I baby-sit love this:
Ladybugs -
Slice a red apple in half. Spread peanut butter on the top, and then put raisins on the peanut butter for spots. Then use toothpicks for the antennas.
ginastags2315 wrote:The kids I baby-sit love this: Ladybugs - Slice a red apple in half. Spread peanut butter on the top, and then put raisins on the peanut butter for spots. Then use toothpicks for the antennas.
Sadly, it looks like all of my 'cute ideas' were already mentioned, but anything that looks fun is normally good. Also, while making the fun food, let the child help, maybe with putting little garnishes. They'll get so excited about helping, that they won't be able to wait and taste their masterpiece!