need healthy food choices kids will willingly eat!

Anne - posted on 01/08/2010

Sounds like this has gone on for quite some time! She is 6 yrs old now wow! I bet she does feel in control if she has always gotton by with it! I agree with others! She will either eat what you make or starve! This is the only way she is going to learn! Too many kids are becoming obese these days and getting diebetes early in life! No one needs to feel guilty it will be better for her in the long run! Running a daycare really helped me cook within the food groups and my family eats healthier now knowing what I need to feed my kids. I don't buy alot of junk food or candy! There are ways to disguise vegetables by blending and putting in meat like meatloaf! So if everyone just steps up and doesn't give in this girl will be thanking everyone when she gets older! Talk to someone in nutrition I ask the health department for ideas all the time when I have questions on food!

Amanda - posted on 01/06/2010

haha thanks Stacie...it is definitly a battle of the strong willed and stubborn....and i totally agree about the eat what i have fixed or nothing at all...and hey going to bed hungry wont hurt them....no child has ever starved over night and then the next day they know you mean business and will eat what you fix for them! thanks for the advice..i love the broccoli puree idea!

Stacie - posted on 01/06/2010

It will be tough to get her into a healthier eating habit. My oldest wants to eat chips, chocolate, and anything that falls into the junk food category. What I do with him is when I am going to cook food I will give him two options ex. chicken nuggets or pizza. If he refuses to pick from those two options I will pick one. When I cook I get out some vegetables and blend them. I dip my chicken nuggets in broccoli puree and then in the bread. My pizza sauce is mixed with any type of veggie I have on hand. The kids don't taste it and they get their veggies. If my son won't eat what I fixed I tell him if he gets hungry that is what he eats. He will get nothing else till he eats his dinner. He throws a fit and is sent to bed, however, when he gets hungry he always eats it. There has been a few occasions when he went several hours without eating, but he always eventually eats his food. It is a battle of the stubborn people. See who can be the most stubborn and refuse to budge.

Amanda - posted on 01/06/2010

Thanks Nicole...ALL great suggestions...which we have been doing....just dont know what her deal is..lol...she tells people her mommy is starving her because she wont let her have mac and cheese and mashed potatoes for every meal everyday! lol...also adding to the dilema is that the mom and her 3 girls are temporary living with the grandparents and they let the kids do and have whatever they wont and go against everything the mother says!! anyway we are just gonna keep working with her cause its for her own good...she will be thanksful when she is older!

Nichole - posted on 01/06/2010

Don't give in to her. Your enforcing her tantrums. Try sweet potatoes or butter nut squash, both are sweet, but very good for her. Also try chicken. Or if mashed potatoes is what she likes, try not adding butter. Or make the mac and cheese homemade from Fat Free cheese and No Fat milk. We make everything from scratch but with low fat, no fat products. Check out the calories and added sugar in things first. Just because it says no fat doesn't mean it's not loaded with sugar.



I told my kids, that if they don't eat what I put on the table, then they don't eat. An hour or two of this and she'll eat. It takes about a week. Also suggest drinking water and take some walks with her to loose the weight. The water will fill her up, plus it's good for her.