"If the joy goes out of eating, nutrition suffers," according to Ellen Satter, registered dietitian and pioneer of pleasure-driven eating. Finding healthy foods and snacks kids love to eat is not as difficult as it may seem. Many items are awaiting discovery in grocery stores and home kitchens. Bringing joy to a kid's table is easy with foods that focus on color, texture, shape and adventure.
Color
Fruits and vegetables offer a rainbow of healthy options. Offer children a new color each day and model enjoyment in choosing and eating them. Modeling is a powerful teaching tool, writes Satter. Try dipping sliced red apples, green grapes and blueberries in vanilla yogurt. Enjoy baby carrots, edame (soybeans) and cherry tomatoes with low fat dressing together after school. At lunch or dinner, make a rainbow on the dinner plate with cooked or fresh vegetables.
Texture
Whole grains, low-fat dairy products, seeds and nuts add interesting textures to meal or snack time. Crunchy high-fiber cereals served with milk or alone awaken taste buds any time of the day. Lunches might include celery ribs filled with cream cheese or peanut butter and topped with small fish crackers or raisins. Wild grain rice, barley and couscous are good alternative side-dishes for lean meats at dinner. Use air-popped popcorn, pretzels, roasted pumpkin seeds or almonds as snack options. Some of these foods, however, are potential choking hazards for children under the age of 3 according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP. The organization recommends offering softer items like, applesauce, puddings and yogurts to young children.
Shapes
Food comes in all shapes. Round mini bagels make nice sandwiches for lunches or snacks. Hard boiled eggs cut in boat-like wedges make interesting additions to a "sea" salad. Foods can also be fashioned into fun shapes with cookie cutters. Choose seasonal cookie cutters to shape bread, cheese and tortillas. Top shapes with tuna or chicken salad and garnish with peppers, a pineapple slice or bean sprouts. Think three dimensional and tower baked potatoes with chicken, broccoli and low-fat cheese.
Adventure
The world is full of flavorful food adventures. Visit the cuisines of other countries with children by using native foods whenever possible. The peoples of the Middle East enjoy hummus with sliced cucumbers and black olives in pita pockets. Central Americans make burritos with black beans, low-fat cheese, sautéed peppers and tomatoes. Asian cultures use tofu, fish, bok choy and mushrooms in stir-fry dishes. Kids who plan the food adventure will not only be more likely to taste test the finished product, but will understand the road to a healthy lifestyle is super fun.
References
- "Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family"; Ellen Satter, MS, RD, LCSW, BCD. 2008.
- "Guide to Healthy Eating For Kids"; Jodie Shield, M.Ed, RD and Mary Catherine Mullen MS, RD; 2002.
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; Family Fun Recipes for Families and Kids
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