People have often made comments to me like "How do you get your kids to eat that?" And "You're lucky! My kids are picky eaters!" Well, it isn't always easy- even my broccoli loving 4 year old has her moments, where all of a sudden nothing sounds good that day. But in truth, it is rare. Is it because I'm super mom? No! In truth, it's probably a combination of things- one of them being a dash of luck. But if you have trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies, there are a few things you can do.
One: make shopping fun, and not a chore! If your kids know you're stressed, rushed, and hate shopping, chances are that might spill over into the merchandise you select. Also, crabby kids make for hasty rushed decisions, resulting in forgotten items or poor food choices. Ultimately, you set the tone. So if you can, add an extra 15 minutes to your trip, so you have time to drive the cart a little crazy, or use one of those annoying over-sized carts made to look like a car that always seem to have at least one janky wheel. If the kids are enjoying themselves, chances are you will, too.
Tip Number Two: Have fun with your food! Food doesn't always have to be so serious! Like these grapes, for instance. Olivia wanted to eat them off a stick. Well, why not? Let's live a little. No, we don't do fun things every time, and sometimes she just gets PB & J. But once and a while, will I take extra time to make a heart out of the strawberries on her whole grain pancakes? You're darn right I will.
Tip Number Three: Get your kids involved in your shopping. Make a game of it! Let them pick out one thing- anything!- from the produce section they want to try. Maybe we want to know what jicama tastes like, or maybe she thinks an artichoke tastes like- it'll give you an excuse to try something new, and she'll be more likely to eat it when you get home if you make a game of it. Maybe you're looking for a specific color that day- like my daughter says, "you have to eat a rainbow!"
Alright, I'll give you number 4 for free, and you should already know this one anyway: Model it! We were all kids once. "Do as I say and not as I do" doesn't work very well. Chances are, if you want to crinkle your nose up at the scrambled eggs dad made, just because there's a dab of spinach in there, your kids probably will too. So lead by example, get creative, have fun, and try new things! Don't give up if they won't eat it today- just like with the workouts, consistency matters. Try again tomorrow. You'll be glad you did- and so will your kids. If you found this helpful, please, share it with someone else!
As always, I appreciate you. Live healthy, live happy! Love, Amanda
Star Diamond Coach Amanda Noddings
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