A food review...written by kids...for kids...will it work?

In my constant quest to encourage kids to try new foods it brought me to an interesting idea. Why not have the kids become food critics? Now I'm not talking about the whiny, grouchy, pouty "That looks yucky" sort of critique that might be common when trying new foods. I am talking about turning the tables and have them WANT to try a new food. This technique does not involve sneaking in pureed vegetables but it does call for a little bit of persuasive conversation.

If a child thinks that it is a game or that they are somehow in control they are much more apt to trying new foods. It starts at the grocery store. Have them pick out a new vegetable, fruit or new food. Have them help determine how to cook or prepare it (guided by you of course or an easy recipe). Once the food is cooked hand them a magnificent food review and let them fill in all of the questions. Discuss the food and how it tastes, looks, and how it could be improved. Make this a weekly routine,  and odds are they will love it!

Now I know what you are thinking, what if this backfires, they write a review and still loath green peas.  A food review is a way of looking at green peas in a whole new light. First they picked them out, then they saw them or helped include them in a recipe and then they got to explore the food. You didn't argue with them, you didn't force them or bribe them and they get an opportunity to help change the food to a way they might like it.

Sometimes traveling down the road of trying new foods can be a bumpy and uncomfortable one. On one hand you want to expose your child to new foods and on the other hand the arguing just doesn't feel like worth the battle when it has been a long day. It is sometimes tempting to take the easy way out and just make the mac and cheese because you know they will have a full belly before bedtime. The best thing is that as they review, they taste and explore new foods! Add the element of a food review to your weekly routine and watch the kids as they broaden their food choices and practice a little descriptive writing.

For a food review template click here. There are Four versions of the food review so choose the printable template that you feel is most appropriate for the age of your child.

 

Here is a sample of two food reviews done during the Super Bowl game. My son and a neighbor chose raspberries to review. Our neighbor had never tried a raspberry before. My intention was for them to try the buffalo hummus or the pink cauliflower but I wasn't quick enough in my explanation :)

For future recipe ideas and help with menu planning purchase Take Out Recipes which provides 7 breakfast, 7 lunch and 24 dinner recipes/ideas that can be displayed in slip pocket magnets. Order yours today!

www.ABCDEatRight.com

Brandi@ABCDEatRight.com

Facebook: ABCD Eat Right

Twitter: ABCDeatRight1

I'm Hungry...words you hate to hear.

Teeth are brushed, water is at the side of the bed, books are read and then the two year old says "I'm hungry". Here is the predicament, she did not eat much of a dinner (which she does when she does not like it). Encouragement was made to try and eat more. She stubbornly resisted and now time has passed and it is time for bed. "Kitchen is closed" is what I want to say and then I worry that she will wake up in the middle of the night with hunger pains. 

Making everyone sit down to eat together as a family at dinner time has always been important to me. Timing meals and making it to where everyone knows that we eat between 5:30-6 every night has been a part of the process that I think is important to get kids to eat healthy. But now what do I do when she won't eat when, and what, I want her to eat?

 

So along with my mission to decrease the amount of junk food in my children's diet, here are some things that I tried to do to increase what she ate at dinnertime:

 

• I limited the amount of snacks before dinner and limited the "grazing" hours between 4-6. Filling this time with only fruits and vegetables. Distracting her with outdoor playtime also seemed to help.
 
• Increased the protein filled snacks in hopes to satisfy her longer. Choosing snacks like milk, cheese, low sugar yogurts, lean cuts of deli meat, bean dips, seeds and nuts.
 
• Incorporating foods with more fiber such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Popcorn, fresh cut up fruit and vegetables along with high fiber breads can be a good place to start. To help them eat more of their vegetables I just purchased a new veggie dip that Sabra makes. The same company that makes a delicious hummus also makes a cucumber dill veggie dip. My friend told me about it and I can't wait for them to try it. It seems a little healthier than Ranch dressing because it is made with Greek yogurt.  
 
• I also chose to have both kids become more involved with the meal planning. I know what you may be thinking, they are only 5 and 2, but I am finding that the more that they can help me choose what we eat the more apt they are to eat it. I have designed dinner recipe cards in which they can help me choose from. We place the dinner cards on the refrigerator in magnets so that everyone knows what is for dinner. For more info on these recipe boxes visit: www.abcdeatright.com/parents . The site is still under construction but if you want to order a recipe box email me at Brandi@abcdeatright.com . 

 

Sometimes I think it is ridiculous that I worry that my daughter is hungry at night when thousands of children in the US go to bed without eating anything at all. I realize that it may be a phase and that she does eat well when she wants too. But I still want to focus my attention on getting her to eat with some normalcy in her schedule. It is a challenge to balance everything with children. As a mom and a Registered Dietitian I face a constant personal battle with healthy nutrition. My ultimate goal is to instill good eating habits within both of our kids while they are still young. Arming them with nutrition education will benefit them throughout their lives and will end up being one of the best gifts I could give them.

How do you get through your feeding struggles?