How often I have heard this statement from parents of young children. We are born with a preference for sweet and fatty foods, so it is understandable that many veggies won’t satisfy this innate craving in kids. However, it is important to persist in offering your kids fruits and vegetables when they are young whether or not they take more than one bite. The focus of early food training is on flavor and texture exposure in an attempt to prime kids’ biochemistry for a healthy diet. (Birch, 1999)
Studies published last year report on just how important early nutrition and a focus on nutrient-rich foods can be for future health. Animal studies have shown that eating a diet high in junk foods (nutrient-poor, calorie dense foods) not only predisposes a child to choose junk foods as an adult, but also can alter brain biochemistry to require more sweet foods throughout life. (Gugusheff, 2013)
The moral of the story? Early nutrition matters far beyond childhood. Some tips to serving greens to your children:
- Don’t fight with your children about eating vegetables
- Always serve them their veggies with every meal
- Model healthy food choices for them (Eat your veggies too!)
- Try serving your meals in courses: Veggies first, then protein, then carbs. If you give a kid choices on the same plate, they will often choose only what they like best.
- Always remember to make eating fun: There’s a party in your tummy!
- For their sake, and yours, prepare vegetables in creative and fun ways to make them appetizing and palatable. Below are some fun recipes to try:
- Green Smoothies from Yum Universe’s Heather Crosby
- Brussel Sprouts in Mustard Butter by Deborah Madison
- Braised Broccoli with Orange and Parmesan by Heidi Swanson
References:
- Birch LL. Development of food preferences. Annu Rev Nutr. 1999;19:41-62.
- Gugusheff JR. A maternal “junk-food” diet reduces sensitivity to the opioid antagonist naloxone in offspring postweaning. FASEB J. 2013 Mar;27(3):1275-84.
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