If you are a mom, you will know only too well the struggle of getting your children to eat healthy food. Many children have a fear or at the very least, a severe aversion to vegetables when they are young. No one is exactly sure where this hatred comes from – some believe it is simply because if children are told something is good for them, they will naturally resist it. Others think that it is because after trying it, they realise they don’t get the instant energy rush that they get from sweets and fast food. But we all know that children cannot grow up purely eating fast food and takeout. All of these types of food contain very high levels of salt, sugar and fat, and can sometimes lead to a lifelong food addiction as well as a whole myriad of different health problems. All of this doesn’t mean to say that you can’t give your children treats. But simply by making a few small changes to your family diet, you can get your kids eating in a more healthy manner – without them even noticing!
Cookies
Baking cookies with your children is one of our life’s little pleasures. It is a fun family activity that everyone can get involved in, whether it’s stirring the mixture or simply decorating the finished result. Many families bake together frequently. The downside of being a family that bakes weekly is that your children are regularly ingesting a lot of unhealthy fat and sugar, which can have a negative effect on their bodies over time. But by using some slightly alternative ingredients in your batch of cookies, you can give them to your children with slightly less guilt. Switching regular flour to coconut flour can still make great tasting cookies, as shown in this recipe: blog.paleohacks.com/coconut-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies/. Coconut flour is higher in protein and in healthy fats than regular flour, making it an all round healthier option. Plus, if you or anyone in your family is coeliac, it is gluten-free, too.
Pizza
Let’s face it: every kid loves pizza. You’ve probably lost count of the amount of times your little ones have pleaded with you to order them a Dominos, after all. There’s nothing wrong with getting takeout every once in awhile. But making a habit of ordering pizza can end severely damaging your family’s health. Next time they ask for pizza, why not try making it yourselves instead? If you’re feeling adventurous, pre-make the bases yourself. But if not, you can just buy them from the store. Let your kids experiment with their own toppings and after half an hour in the oven, you will have some delicious homemade pizza to tuck into!
Cake
Another sweet treat, nearly everyone would have to admit that they love cake. A lot of us tend to use Sunday as a day to bake a cake for the week – one that we know our kids will love. But think you have to cut out cake completely in order to live a healthy lifestyle? You couldn’t be more wrong. There are now ways to have your cake and eat it, and it’s all to do with changing some basic ingredients. Vegetables such as zucchinis and aubergines are now being used to bake cakes out of, as they can create a moist sponge that rivals a regular cake, with half the sugar. Try your hand at whipping one up and see if your kids notice the difference!
Great tips! I like to make smoothies to make sure kids get enough fruits and veggies