Thursday, January 27, 2011

Trying to raise a healthy eater

Toddlers can be tough when it comes to eating, well kids in general, but I think toddlers especially.   Ralphy has never been a "picky eater," thank God.   Ever since he was a baby, he has always been pretty good when it comes to food.

I have a few friends that  are getting ready to enter the world of solid foods and they are always asking me "How do you get Ralphy to be such a good eater?" and "How did you get him to eat fruits and vegetables?"  Like I mentioned previously, I think I'm lucky because he has never been  a problem and by all means, I'm no expert, but here are a few things that we do in our house to make sure that he is eating and most importantly eating healthy:


  • Buy Fruits-  discover what fruit your baby likes the most and the only way to do that is to buy them.
  • No junk food-  He is very limited on the amount junk food he eats. My mentality is, if its not in the house his not going to want it. We do  buy chips,ice cream and cookies once in awhile, but he is not allow to  have any before dinner. 
  • Pack a healthy school lunch/ snacks- Ralphy gets lunch at school, but I have to  pack a afternoon snack.  What's in his  lunch box? sliced apples, dried cereal or a yogurt and a juice to drink. Never chips, candy or soda.
  •  Home cooked meals-  I know this is a tough one because times have changed and we just don't have the time like we used to.  I'm  blessed to have my mom to help me with the cooking ( and everything else).  So, with that in mind, I think its important  for kids to get a home cooked meal whenever possible.  Planning meals for the week helps.
These are just things that we do to try  to create healthy eating habits.  Every child is different and sometimes it takes trying different things to find what works best for you and your family.

I love to read your tips and ideas as well . How do you get your kids to eat their fruits and veggies?


    ..


    12 comments:

    Ro said...

    I follow everything you mentioned and I mix in veggies with her fruits.

    Squash is bland enough that it blends into any fruit seemlessly. Alot blend in carrots and sweet potatoes as well.

    I throw veggies into everything Eden eats.. even her snacks.

    Great Post!

    Ro

    Anonymous said...

    That's great about junk food. I believe in that - don't keep it in the house, don't make it a habit. Over here, as soon as the kids are old enough to chew their food, their parents drag them to McDonalds. NOT a good habit!!!

    Alex said...

    Thanks guys for your comments and tips.

    xoxox

    A

    mdforkids said...

    Great tips Alex!

    I have also learned that my job is to offer a variety of healthy foods...it's really up to them to eat it. I encourage but try not to nag :)

    Made By Gen said...

    That is a good idea. A new follower from Hop Along Friday. See you.

    Working Mom Journal said...

    I am all for home-cooked meals. I cook all my meals. I make lots of variety, italian, mexican, nigerian food. Last night we ordered pizza - this takes place once a month. I love to bake, but it takes too much of my time.

    Thanks for these great tips. I need to watch some of the cookies my daughter eats before dinner. Might be why she doesnt eat much of her dinner.

    Thanks.

    Donna said...

    I'm a new follower from Hop Along Friday. I'd love for you to visit my blog and follow back!

    Donna
    http://potofgoldgiveaways.blogspot.com/

    Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas said...

    I have picky eaters and it's a struggle.

    They love fruits and quite a few veggies but the real problem is everything else, meats, etc...

    We are working on it - I believe they need a variety of food!

    Great tips!
    Bernadette - new follower!
    http://momto2poshlildivas.blogspot.com

    Swati said...

    Great post!
    I am your newest follower from a blog hop!!
    Glad to have found you :)

    http://itsmylife-swati.blogspot.com/2011/01/she-is-doll-afterall.html

    (Single)Mommy said...

    Great tips! We follow these too and thankfully my toddler will eat anything! lol We also try alot of different things so she will be used to eating variety.

    Come visit if you get a chance @ My Adventures in Mommyland

    Rachel said...

    When I was younger my afternoon snacks would either be fruit or carrot sticks or pretzels. I was never a fan of cake/pie/cupcakes. Even to this day I don't really eat a lot of sweets. And it's not because they weren't available- my mom is a baker, I just never cared for them.

    :)
    Rach

    Ashley said...

    My son ate great until he was 2. Then somehow he turned into a typical toddler who lives on Mac n cheese and hasn't seen a veggie in a year. :( my daughter already eats sweets because of her older brother. I wish we had done a better job of keeping them away from junk!