As part of the #kidslivewell day at the National Restaurant Association show, I was able to speak with two of the restaurant contest winners, John Williams of UW Health and Kelly Parthen of Bean Sprouts, and the director of nutrition at the NRA, Joy Dubost. These three had a bunch of great ideas to help kids learn to like good food (tip #1 – don’t call it “healthy”!) both out to eat and at home. Here’s a quick run down of some basic ideas.
1. Stock the kitchen or choose a restaurant so you don’t have to say no.
If you don’t have chips as an option, apples look even better! I’m living proof of that. Also, it’s much easier to find a healthy option at Panera than Burger King, right?
2. Have a way to celebrate trying something new.
At Bean Sprouts Cafes, they have a “Been There, Ate That” gong that kids get to clang after trying a new-to-them ingredient. We all know how much kids love to make noise. This is brilliant!
3. Let kids see other kids cooking.
The internet is full of recipes for kids, but Kelly suggested hitting up Youtube for videos of child chefs . It’s one thing if a grown-up can make a dish, but watching a peer makes it seem much more relatable.
4. When having kids pick out food, give them pictures.
If there are only written options available and the kiddo can’t read yet, then mom reads the menu, right? Without knowing it, mom may sway the kid’s choice by skipping over things she thinks kiddo may not want or have a tone to her voice that makes it unappetizing. If the kid is picking based on pictures, then there is a better chance of trying something new, particularly if you…
5. Make your plates fun!
Make a smiley face out of Brussels sprouts, a square of lasagna, and a few pieces of broccoli. Call the carrots by their superhero name, “X-ray Vision Carrots”. Cut the almond butter and banana sandwich into the shape of a flower. You get the idea, right?
6. Watch your portion sizes.
This one is kind of a no-brainer. At restaurants, we all overeat. You’ve heard the tips about putting one half of your meal in a doggie bag right off the bat, right? Well, what about instead of having Junior order off of a boring kids menu, split your main dish with them (or maybe both you and your spouse share so they get to try two new things). No food is wasted. Kiddo tries something new. Mom’s waistline stays the same. Win-win-win!
7. Give your kids healthier defaults.
McDonald’s does technically have apple slices as an option for a side item in a Happy Meal, but how many kids do you know who would order them? What if they didn’t know any better? From the first visit to the restaurant, dad could tell the kiddo that the meal is a hamburger, apple slices, and milk and Junior would be none the wiser. The same goes at home. Instead of having a starch with every meal (as is ingrained in my DNA), teach the family that salad is the one thing they can count on being on every evening’s table.
8. Keep trying!!!
Depending on which report you read, it may take more than 5 to 14 tries before a child decides they like an ingredient. That requires A LOT of patience from mom and dad. I’m not sure I have it in me, but I’ll try. Sooner or later, it just might work!
All of this is so commonsense yet surprising. I’m not sure I’ve seen a lot of people try these ideas. Is that the case or am I not paying attention?
Notice that none of these tips suggest sneaking vegetables into food in ways that the kids don’t know they are there. Thank you! We don’t want our kids to be dumb, so let’s not treat them that way.
I’m right in the middle of the French Kids Eat Everything
