Let’s Celebrate Kids Eat Right Month!

Did you know that August was Kids Eat Right Month? The holiday was started by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Academy Foundation in an effort to arm parents with the tools and knowledge to raise healthy kids who grow up to be healthy adults. Programs focus on smart shopping, healthy eating, and tips on enjoying a healthy and active lifestyle.



And let’s be honest, as parents, we all need some secret weapons to convince our kids to put down the chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese and pick up the salad and quiche. No one has the energy for these mealtime battles every single day! The sooner you can introduce your children to healthy foods, the more likely they are to willingly eat nutritious meals as they grow.

With this in mind, here are some tips on how you can celebrate Kids Eat Right Month and start your kids on a healthy and nutritious journey.

Give Them Choices

No child, heck, no adult for that matter, likes to be told what to eat. We all want choices. Instead of putting peas on their plate, give your child the choice of what vegetable they would like for dinner. When it comes to snack time, ask if they would prefer cheese and apple slices or celery with peanut butter. Kids want to feel in control sometimes, too!

Take Them to A Local Salad Bar

These days, most big grocery store chains have decent salad bars, as well as those bars that offer olives, stuffed grape leaves, and roasted peppers in oil kind of thing. This is a great way to allow kids to choose what healthy foods they want to eat. Hand them a small container and encourage them to load it up!

Let Your Kids Help with Dinner

Kids are far more apt to give new foods a try if they are involved in preparing the meal. Give them simple tasks like mixing the salad or measuring out ingredients. If they are older children, they can slice and dice veggies. Not only will they be encouraged to try new foods, but you can spend some quality time with them as well.

We should never force our kids to eat healthily. But if you use these tips you can encourage them to try new foods and help them grow up healthy and happy.

You can learn more tips and tricks here.

SOURCES:

• https://www.eatright.org/kidseatrightmonth/celebrate/educate/what-is-kids-eat-right-month
• https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/how-to-get-kids-to-eat-healthy/
• https://familyresourcesinc.org/2021/03/get-kids-eat-healthy-foods/