It can be tough to feed kids, especially if they are finicky. Here are some creative tips to help you feed your kids get a dose of nutrition in each meal.
Breakfast
- Breakfast burrito: scrambled eggs, black beans and salsa wrapped in a brown rice tortilla and a glass of orange juice
- Toasted English muffin, a hard boiled egg, a glass of milk and a bowl of strawberries
- Bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk and a banana
- Buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup, a bowl of melon and a glass of milk
- Bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and milk and glass of orange juice
- Yogurt, a slice of whole wheat toast and a handful of raisins
- Piece of spinach quiche, a slice of whole wheat toast and a handful of blueberries
Lunch/Snacks
- A quarter or a half sandwich is just one of the many choices you can offer your child.
- Dried fruit – there is a huge variety of dried fruits available today – apricots, raisins, dates, cranberries, blueberries, etc
- Nuts – peanuts, cashews, pecans, almonds and walnuts
- Fresh fruit pieces or a piece of whole fruit – apples, pears melon, mangoes, pineapple and grapes are just a few!
- Applesauce (no sugar added)
- Celery sticks filled with cream cheese and raisins or white bean dip and pine nuts
- Sugar snap peas, baby carrots or green beans with Ranch dressing for dipping
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Yogurt or a smoothie
- Lunch meat roll-ups with cream cheese and a cooked asparagus or green bean in the middle
- Whole wheat or brown rice tortilla wrap with tuna salad, chicken salad, or egg salad
- Hard boiled egg
- Cheese cubes, slices or string cheese logs
- Peanut butter (or sunflower butter) with apple slices or crackers
- Hummus with carrots and mini pita breads
- Whole grain crackers or pretzels
- Trail mix made from cereal, nuts and dried fruit
Dinner
- Home cooked meals are best. Restaurant, fast and take-out foods are higher in fat, salt, sugar and calories.
- Feed your child the same meal as the grown ups.
- Avoid kiddie foods and meals. They fall short in nutritional value and are high in fat, salt and sugar.
- No need to have dessert every night. It is more special when it is not as frequent.
Dinner time is a great time of the day to get to know your child and teach social skills:
- Turn off the TVs and put down the newspapers.
- Sit at the dinner table to enjoy a great meal.
- Teach your child good table manners.
- During the meal, ask your children about the day at school and share something about your day too.
About the Authors:
Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby ( www.FreshBaby.com ). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets.
