Picky Eaters Corner was created to offer tips to Parents with ‘picky eaters’. If your child isn’t interested in eating fruits or veggies offer it to them – daily – regardless! Eventually they will accept it; If not try mixing the vegetables (preferably spinach since it doesn’t have a distinct taste) with fruits into a delicious smoothie. You can also try making fresh fruit pops or adding fruit to yogurt or homemade ice cream.
You can also chop up vegetables really small (i.e. spinach leaves or kale) and add it into turkey meatballs, placing it in between their turkey sandwiches or under the cheese on a whole grain pita pizza. There are many ways to get those veggies into their little tummies – and I’m here to help you find a way that works best for your little one and your family.
#HealthyKids = #HappyKids
#HappyKids = #HappyParents
Here are some things that my picky toddlers love to eat:
BACKGROUND...
It wasn’t until pregnancy that I began “Clean Eating” and with regular cravings it was quite easy to fall off. Some days I used being pregnant as an excuse to eat whatever I wanted. Then I realized more and more that I was affecting a life far more important than my own. During my second trimester (at 24 weeks) I learned that I was High Risk with Gestational Diabetes and Preeclampsia. I met with a Dietician weekly and a Nutritionist monthly. They calculated my Caloric intake and designed a specific meal plan for me to keep my blood sugar and pressure normal.
Although I had tons of information from pamphlets to books to meal plans on clean eating I still didn’t ‘fully’ understand what Clean Eating was. The meal plans were specifically designed to count calories, as well as point out how many servings I needed for each food group; However, it didn’t fully outline the ‘best choices’ of Protein, Veggies, etc. At that point I would read the product labels to see the percent daily value of xyz, as oppose to actually focusing on actual portion sizes the way that the 21 Day Fix Eating Plan breaks things down. Needless to say I was making somewhat healthier choices, but it wasn’t effective Clean Eating.
After giving birth to both of my boys I loss my baby weight very quickly (– 15-20lbs — although I was mostly belly). I attribute that weight loss to clean eating during my pregnancy as well as my being active my whole life & throughout both pregnancies. I was constantly told how lucky I was for “bouncing back” and how great I looked. Of course the compliments meant the world to me but it was ‘added pressure’ so to speak and the bottom line was I WAS UNHEALTHY!.
I no longer had a life inside of me so after birth I thought “I can eat anything I want” but that was a dangerous way of thinking. I didn’t know how much my life would change being a Mom. It was and still is the MOST humbling & beautiful blessing God could has bestowed upon me! It also takes A LOT of work and I learn a lot daily.
I finally got a handle on it now almost 3 years later, but there were times I couldn’t sit down long enough to eat a real meal. I would eat whatever was most convenient, which usually meant unhealthy. BUT I made sure ALL of my babies’ meals were clean/healthy. I made all of my baby food by puréeing organic fruits & veggies. And IF I allowed them to drink 100% apple juice it would be diluted with 75% distiller water.
I was still very active, but in a completely different way…. Keeping up with my two little ones. I was “skinny” but not very healthy nutrition wise like once before. I didn’t resume clean eating 80:20 like I had planned to & I was too tired to exercise then. I began to put on the lbs over time. While the kids slept I thought I could use the time to nap instead of exercise b/c there just wasn’t enough time. I would either sleep when they slept or choose to celebrate my mom victory with 10 cookies, milk and Y&R soaps for successfully keeping us 3 alive + fed for another day!
Now I’m learning that THERE IS ALWAYS TIME to do the things you are truly passionate about. It’s never too late. START TODAY! START NOW! It’s absolutely wonderful to look great on the outside but not if you don’t look even better on the inside! Be happy! Be healthy! Don’t just focus on looking good. With age we change physically faster than we do internally. Feed your body all the essential things that it needs. Your life literally depends on it! Besides your little ones are watching – set great examples for them to follow!
Picky Eaters Corner 