May 23, 2017
As a mom of a 10 year old boy, and working full time, I am busy, busy, busy! And the most stressful part of my day is often the age-old dilemma: What’s for dinner tonight?
I admit, I’m not a great planner. Which is to say, I will spend hours saving recipes to Pinterest, but actually putting together a weekly menu seems impossible.
My son has travelled with me as I jump on every diet bandwagon (I want to try them all!) that passes me by, sometimes more willingly than others. And unfortunately, he seems to be just as fickle and changeable as I am when it comes to this week’s acceptable food list.
For a time, he was perfectly willing to devour a salad for lunch. Or cucumbers, celery, carrots (no dip!). Now cucumbers and salad are out, but Chickpea Curry and Bean Soup get a big thumbs up! And baby bok choy is a favourite!
We have tried a few different veggie burger recipes, and I don’t think my son has even noticed the difference with no meat. I haven’t yet found one that doesn’t fall apart, but when I do I will blog it!
(I still can’t believe my 10 year old loves bok choy!)
Kids are amazingly adaptable, and can be surprisingly willing to try new things. So, I try not to worry too much about analyzing his nutritional intake.
A few simple rules can help make sure you’re providing your child with everything he/she needs:
- Plan ahead! Look at the staples you have on hand. Check the local grocers for weekly specials and buy only what you need! (yes, eating healthy can get expensive!)
- Eat the Rainbow – Get your child involved in the challenge. Can you eat something of every colour of the rainbow this week?
- Try new things – and try them again. Your kids may not like it today. But you never know about next week!
- Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s okay to fall back on pizza once in a while. Try making your own! Use a pita or tortilla as your pizza shell, and add whatever veggies your child will eat. We have made pizzas with pepperoni and peas (yes, peas)!
- Smoothies! This is a fantastic way to get some healthful fruit and veggies into your growing child. Whole fruits, yogurt, a handful of spinach or kale. All add up to an easy, delicious breakfast or snack!
So do your best to provide a variety of healthful foods, involve your kids in the planning and preparation, and they might just surprise you!
