This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and Tropicana.
Feeding your children healthy food can be a challenge, but really rewarding! I'm sure we can all agree that getting proper nutrients in every meal is ideal, but what do you do when your kids aren’t exactly eating their fruits and vegetables? Well, it's easy to make healthy meals and snacks that are full of flavor too!
It's amazing what we do for our kids. Whenever I am cooking a meal when I am pregnant, like now, I think about how much my unborn child would benefit from the foods I am about to eat. Just how many vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients will my baby be getting? At this point, I can control what nutrients my baby will be receiving but what to do when they start to grow up and tell you that they don't like apples or broccoli?
Well, here are some of my ideas for children who are picky eaters:
Add some honey or fruit to a bowl of oatmeal to make it more appealing.
Add fresh fruit to their cereal or yogurt.
Try a breakfast or lunch using a whole wheat wrap with turkey, eggs and cheese. It is packed with protein and fiber.
Start the day with a glass of fresh orange juice.
If you make tasty snacks your kids will never guess how healthy they really are. Like fresh fruit purees, fresh fruit popsicles, frozen bananas and strawberries on a stick.
Keep organic baby carrots in the house for snacking during the day.
Hummus is a high-fiber nutrient in which they can dip fresh vegetables.
Add vegetables like broccoli, peas or spinach to mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf.
Blend vegetables into their favorite tomato sauce.
Make pizzas with your kids and ask them to add their favorite vegetables on top. Kids love to make pizza and eat their own creations.
Eat together as a family and role model good eating habits.
Okay guys, those are my tips for parents to help get your kids eating fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods without complaining...as much! Now, for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card from BlogHer and Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice, leave a comment on this post with your tips for how you do the same for your kids.
The sweepstakes: 4/11/2011-5/9/2011
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be
selected.
For Official Rules Click here.
Tropicana helps put the “good” in morning.
Tropicana Pure Premium provides an array of 100 percent orange juice varieties to help meet individuals' nutrition and lifestyle needs. All options are nutrient-dense, with one eight-ounce glass delivering two fruit servings and a full day’s supply of vitamin C.*For more information visit them here:
Facebook – the official Facebook page
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Website – The Offical Website
Pledge to squeeze more fruits and veggies into your day and Tropicana will
help kids in need. Tropicana will donate one 8-oz glass of orange juice to
the USDA School Breakfast and Summer Food Service programs, up to 184,375
8-oz glasses. Please pledge by going to http://bit.ly/gAU7Eq. Promo will end 12/31/11.
I wrote this post while participating in the Tropicana Pure Premium/BlogHer program on behalf of Tropicana Pure Premium. I received product information to facilitate my post and monetary compensation for the time to write my post.
Mami2jcn
I get my kids to eat their fruit in fruit salads and smoothies.
Love your site! My mother's family is from Medellin.
Mami2jcn
tweet-twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/57477867646369792
Junia
I make smoothies, and also I have them help make our meals, I really thought it sounded corny when I heard ppl say that, but it does really work, they are proud to say they made it and are more willing to eat it...
Denise M.
I don't have kids of my own, but I often watch my friends' kids, and I've found that putting a slice of a sweet fruit inside of an otherwise savory sandwich (peanut butter and pineapple slices, anyone?) often does the trick. I also have gotten them (and myself) hooked on yogurt raisins, and the candied fruits and veggies that they sell in bulk at Whole Foods.
Tabathia B
I love to give my kids dips with fruits like cottage cheese or caramel for apples
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Tabathia B
tweet
twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/57670223679066112
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
LUCIA MILLAN
Sus recetas además de ser nutritivas son deliciosas y cuando se acompañan con Orange Juice Tropicana, son espectaculares, aún para los niños
LENA
yo a mis hijos les preparo muchas sopas de verduras en crema 😉 asi no pueden separar las verduras para no comerselas! y las adoran <3
Leah
Thank you for the post Erica. You have great ideas; one that i use all the time is adding finely chopped veggies to pasta, potatoes, etc...
I've had luck with the following veggies creations with my picky little eaters:
Bake and then puree vegetables (tomato, eggplant, onion, squash) into a soup.
Baby, organic raw spinach with their favorite dressing, Italian or ranch.
Sweet potatoes, sliced thick and baked, plain or with a sweet or savory topping.
Also, having a garden and getting kids involved in it or taking them to local gardens and farms for education can increase their interest in fresh produce.
Simply Life
I don't have kids but with kids I do know - I think make your own pizzas and "fruit kebabs" always make eating healthier foods more attractive to kids!
DD
i find that you can put almost anything into a smoothie and picky kids will eat it.... not only like fruits and veggies, but also like flax powder, fiber, etc. Go $100!!!!! =)
Kerri Stewart
I see you do like I do!
My kids are okay eaters. They like fruits & vegetables, however they LOVE pasta. To increase their vegetable intake, I add vegetables like broccoli to their pasta and serve a salad with dinner. My girls love salad!
gab UNDERSCORE lyn AT msn DOT com
@Naya2000 on Twitter
Kerri Stewart
I tweeted!
@Naya2000
gab UNDERSCORE lyn AT msn DOT com
twitter.com/#!/Naya2000/status/57949414756585472
Janssen
I love cooked greens - you can add spinach or chard so easily to practically anything.
Susan
Keeping fresh veggies around is a great tip.
Bart
Cooked greens go in practically everything and don't add weird flavor usually.
Steph
i put them in smoothies and in baked goods
Steph
twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/58002388413456384
Claire
We practice good eating habits by having healthy alternatives. For example, juice instead of soda and whole wheat instead of white bread.
Jessie C.
We love smoothies, so I put all veggies and fruit in, kids love it too much to care what's in there. This trick works great with my picky eaters.
Jessie C.
twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/58037040498999296
Karen
I add in good veggies by throwing in a casserole. Fruit can be disguised in jell-o.
Karen
twitter.com/#!/SCMOMOF2BOYS/status/58074458396704768
Milissa
I make my kids smoothies every morning. They think they are fruity and yummy, but I usually sneak some veggies in them too!
Pamela S.
I don't have kids so here is what I do for myself. Protein shakes every morning with orange juice, fresh fruit or veggies, protein powder, and ice. Sometimes I'll throw in a few spoonfuls of yogurt. Yummy.
Luz Adriana
I do not have any children but my husband love the Orange Juice of Tropicana, he drinks it every morning for his breakfast. thanks Erika for all your delicious Colombian recipes.
tammigirl
My only tip is so different than what a lot of people do that I feel odd sharing it. We always made good food and had it for our meals. The kids just ate because that's what people do. If they didn't like something they didn't eat it. I never let food become a power struggle. I see people insist on X number of bites or beg kids to eat more of a certain item or even bribe their children with desserts or candy. I just didn't do it. Eat it if you want to eat it. If you don't want to eat it now we can put it away for later. If you don't like it, that is okay, too. Tips? From me? I just don't have them. That was my food philosophy.
tammigirl
Here's my tweet:
twitter.com/#!/tammigirl/status/58287873962680320
Claudia
My daughter is now 13, but early on we started her on the one-taste rule. You can't say no without one taste. She didn't feel forced and willingly tried new foods (she even liked most of them)! Now she is a little "foodie"! Besides the one-taste rule, I always made the food pleasing to the eye and gave it cool names. Different colors on the plate not only means more nutrition, but caught her attention. It's all about the "marketing". Celery with cream cheese and raisins doesn't sound as cool as "ants on a log"!
Susan Smith
I keep fresh fruits and vegetables around the house for snacking and serve vegetables and fruits with our meals. I find if I serve food with vegetables in them instead of on the side my children are more likely to eat them.
Susan Smith
twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/58524665878024194
Chris C.
I don't have kids yet, but in my family, the rule was always you always have to at least TRY everything on the table (and licking it doesn't count! You must actually consume the item). I was never a fussy eater, but both my sisters were, so this got them to at least taste some stuff. Now, my boyfriend and I get a weekly CSA box from a local farm, which really encourages me to find ways to sneak veggies into everything, so nothing goes to waste.
Maria
By offering them healthy fruits and vegetables they like.
MCantu1019 at aol dot com
Gary Long
I love the post. See my comments at thenextremove.blogspot.com/2011/04/teaching-your-children-to-eat-new-food
Sarah L
I eat lots of salads and smoothies. (no kids)
Thanks for the contest.
Sarah L
blogged slehan.blogspot.com/2011/04/win-100-from-blogher-and-tropicana-part.html
Karen
Great tips and ones that I'll be forwarding to my daughter for my finicky eater of a granddaughter!
Anonymous
I make soup- lots of home made soup. Several years ago I started with a Kale and Leek soup recipe which I was certain my children would run from. They all liked it and it is now a family favorite. Keep trying different things and the kids are bound to bite on something healthy!
Lisa
One tip to get kids to eat vegetables is to slice zucchini, eggplant, or sweet potatoes and bake in the oven as oven baked fries. Fruit smoothies are one way to get them to eat fruit and get some calcium.
elizabeth atkins
Fruit instead of chips in her lunchbox and smoothies instead of milkshakes!
Libby's Library
When my kids were young, for the most part, they were good eaters. Forcing people to eat things, just make matters worse. My best advice is to set a good example, and serve foods that your family enjoys. Bananas every day, is better than no fruit at all.
Thanks for the great giveaway.
Sunshyn V
twitter.com/#!/The_Sunshyn/status/60426607743090688
Ashley S.
We make smoothies and also add veggies into pasta sauce, but the kids LOVE fruits and vegetables and being outside and active, so keeping them healthy is easy!
Ashley S.
Tweeted about it twitter.com/smash906/status/60479921981636608
Jessica Miller
I dont have my own kids but for my nieces,nephews,brother and sisters
I will make fruit smoothies,or cut up some fruit for them and make a little fruit salad. Also carrots and celery are good with a little dip or them or peanut butter.
Jessica Miller
Tweeted
twitter.com/jessicamiller87/statuses/60738158043738114
Anthony Steiner
I like to make soups,salads,smoothies
Rebecca
Simply adapt kids to eating vegetables at a very young age, then as they get become older they will eat them regularly in everyday meals!
Kelly Massman
My son is a teenager, so I have very little influence over what he eats. If I make him a “healthy” meal, he just buys his own out! He loves orange juice though, so that wouldn’t be a problem!
thanks!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom
Sharon
I've found that keeping fruit out on the counter and easy to grab and go really does encourage kids to eat healthier. Rather than snacking on chips or candy, they will grab a banana or an apple. Just make it very accessible and easy for them.
Sharon
Tweet:twitter.com/#!/sharonjo2/status/61201624424648704
Rox
I don't have kids yet, but I think these recipes are awesome!
Johannah B
We "dip" food, and I find the kids will try just about anything if it has something they can dip it into! Fruits and Vegetables expecially. As for Tropicana OJ I add it to my baked goods - and it's great in pie crusts!!
1prizewinner at gmail dot com
Wanda M
No children here, but I remember my mom would make peanut butter & banana sandwiches and we loved them. Also, she used to make mango or papaya shakes before smoothies were a big thing. Because she incorporated fruits and vegetables into our daily lives, to this day I eat healthy and so does my husband.
wbailey113 at hotmail dot com
Deb K
I sneak veggies in the casseroles that I make and the grandchildren love it 🙂
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
Gladys Hernandez
I would have my children help me with the shopping and prep of the veggies each had a mini cutting board and a plastic butter knife . They loved to be involved. they would announce proudly to their dad what they helped make in the nights meal .
the kids would try one piece of of what they prepped that night , if they liked it, great, if they didn't , that was OK too , because over time when we made the veggies or fruit again they would give it a chance again and maybe like one of them. It takes time .
I would also steam veggies till soft , puree them then add them to soups , cakes and into rice.
with fruits they loved to freeze grapes, dip bananas in chocolate and freeze . but a yummy one was frozen orange juice in Dixie cups with a frozen grape in the bottom .
experiment you never know what they will try.
Beth Pineda
I am a mother to six under the age of 14. We start offering as many different types of foods as possible as soon as they are eating table foods. I personally think that the sooner you begin introducing kids to lots of different types of foods, the better. They become adventurous eaters from the beginning!
Val
Smoothies!
Val
Tweet!
twitter.com/#!/EverydayVibrant/status/61854473085140993
Jimena
I don't have children right how but when I do I will definitely be giving them some green smoothies or as those with kids call them "green monster" smoothies. I drink them myself adding some leafy greens such as spinach or kale along with fruits such as apple, pear and banana. Tastes so delicious and they will never know it's full of veggies!
susitravl
Our kids have always loved fruit and vegetables, so no need to hide them in their food. We just make sure we have a lot of "ready to eat" fruit/veggies on hand for them since they work and go to school and have busy schedules.
PBPD
All in my family enjoy eating fruits & vegetables. Fruits are great in snacks or breakfast. Vegetables are always nice at dinnertime, especially when cooked up tastily.
Georgia
We always had fruits on the counter for snacks. Never had pop in the house. The only thing they had to drink was juice or water. Love fruit!
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
Georgia
Tweeted here too
twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/63017882505838593
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
Norma
Thankfully my daughter loved fruits and most veggies when she was a child - she thought fruit was a dessert, and I kept veggies simple and stuck to the ones she liked (carrots, peas, corn, yams, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes) rather than trying to make her eat the ones she didn't like. (zucchini, cauliflower, cooked spinach). I added cheese or something special to ones she had mixed reactions to - like grilled Parmesan asparagus and artichokes with garlic butter.
LAMusing
I don't have kids, but I remember as a kid my mom always kept fresh fruit around (which I loved) and sometimes made things like baked apples or warm cinnamon peaches. Veggies were a little more difficult until Dad started a garden - after helping to grow them I couldn't wait to eat them!
Samantha Lee
I try to eat fruits and vegetables every single day, with my meals that I prepare.
Tina M
I put veggies and fruit in smoothies.
Tina M
twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/63439926502494208
Mary
I put extra veggies into just about everything I make.
Steven M Cote
In our house I'm the picky one so my wife makes us stuff like: Orange & carrot juice, Beetroot to orange juice, smoothies with fresh fruit and yogurt, she minces the veggies & adds them to soups and sauces so i will eat them with not noticing them. She has also got me eating spinach without a problem... She adds flavor to the veggies to keep them from being boring and also tries to keep them slightly crunchy so they aren't a gooey mess. The main in our household is the presentation, she always makes the food look nice there by attracting curiosity and temptation, our child has not been picky yet so I couldn't say much for her. I have a wonderful wife! 🙂 hehehe
Rease
Chopping up veggies super small and cooking them into things is a great way to trick your kids into eating them. If you chop them too big they are likely to eat around them.
Bonnie
I think eating as a family, and serving as a role model is one of the best ways to get the children to try new foods. Also, adding veggies to regular disshes like macaroni, and meatloaf is a good idea!!
Jayne
We have a veggie garden. The kids enjoy eating what they've planted and watched grow.
Jayne
Tweeted.
twitter.com/#!/Jayne_Martin/status/63748422708109314
Mary M
My kids were not to much of picky eaters. They actually loved fruits and vegetables so I was pretty lucky in that area. They always got their juice and fruit in the mornings and the veggies at night for dinner. They usually ate it without to much coaching from me, thank god.
marybug2@yahoo.com
Mary M
Tweeted too
twitter.com/#!/marybug2/status/64103224856150016
marybug2 @ yahoo . com
kristy
I make pizzas with lots of vegies and have them help
ria
I add fruit and veggies wherever possible- veggie pizzas, chicken/veggie tortillas, squash/pumpkin muffins etc
rmartinclarke @ gmail.com
ria
twitter.com/#!/rsmc1/status/65242060508250114
ANGEL JACKLYN
WE USE A REWARD SYSTEM FOR THOSE VEGGIES THEY REALLY DON'T LIKE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S NOT SO MUCH A STRUGGLE SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YA! kytah00 at yahoo dot com
ANGEL JACKLYN
2ND ENTRY TWEET @ twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/65268027242971136 kytah00 at yahoo.com
pixie13
Lots of fruit smoothies & we eat a lot of salads & stir fries.
pixie13
tweeted
twitter.com/#!/pixie13sweeps/status/65805021404606464
nan
my son refuses veggies so i grate carrots and put them in muffins and i buy fruit/veggie blend drinks to sneak them into him
nannypanpan at gmail.com
Gina @ The Crave to Save
It's all about presentation and finding recipes that your kids like that may have veggies in them. Stick to those and keep rotating them!
gina.m.maddox (at) gmail (dot) com
Gina @ The Crave to Save
twitter.com/#!/CrazyItalian0/status/66299089175851008
gina.m.maddox (at) gmail (dot) com
Erin from Long Island
try to find the preparation methods you kids prefer and go from there. we will eat almost anything grilled or roasted!
Erin from Long Island
tweet
twitter.com/#!/erunuevo/status/66435948702998528
Kerry
My kids like to dunk and dip their food. So ranch dressing or hummus with their veggies helps a lot!
Kerry
twitter.com/#!/KerryBishop/status/66697031720251392
betsy
I have a lot of fruit and vegi's for snacks and don't keep much junk food in the house. My son loves apples, banna's, carrot sticks.
Susan E.
Smoothies and adding veggies to sauces is the quickest and easiest way I've found for anyone who doesn't like veggies, including my husband.
rogsdock[at]gmail[dot]com
Melanie L. Herman
I encourage them to help me cut up the fruit and/or veggies. When they are involved in the preparation, they tend to eat the final product.
Debra F
I am very lucky. My kids love love love fruit. Never any problems getting them to eat fruit. They also like quite a few veggies, so I don't push it and force them to eat what they don't like. I do introduce and reintroduce new and seasonal veggies all the time and my oldest especially will try more and more.
Debra F
tweeted
twitter.com/#!/fairydancer35/status/66994568888979457
sy
i love organic baby carrots, i try to add fruits and vegetables to our diet but we often don't have enough, so i add supplements too, i like powder supplements that i can add to drinks.
songyueyu at gmail
sy
tweet:twitter.com/#!/syytta/status/67029004284215296
Judith
We are a vegetable eating family so the kids and now the grandkids don't know anything different.
JanPattersonRN
My kids are older now, but with my grandson one of the things we do when I go visit is find places to pick fresh fruit. There's almost always someplace with blackberries growing wild, or [he lives in Southern California] date palms dropping fruit, or oranges, or lemons. And when he comes to visit here we do the same.
It's helped him understand where fruit comes from and how it looks on the tree or bush, and now he's a right good fruit shopper on his own.
terri weber
What great ideas for getting move veggies in your food. Yum!
Joyce Raymond
My daughter always loved grapes and small chunks of cheese.I would also give her a glass of milk or a juice box (only real juice, no kool aid or hawain punch).
Sherry Williams
I really love veggies and fruits. Good tips above. Thanks.
Donna B.
I make sure we eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and I keep plenty of healthy snack options on hand. I also limit sweets, sodas, fried foods and other junk food. My son has always loved all fruits and veggies so getting him to eat a healthy, varied diet has never been an issue, but I will add veggies to spaghetti sauce, meatloaf and casseroles to boost the nutrition.
STEPHANIE EDMOND
EXCELLENT NUTRITIONAL TIPS. GOOD FOR ADULTS AS WELL AS CHILDREN BECAUSE MANY TIMES WE ARE SO BUSY THAT WE NEGLECT PROPER NUTRITION
Betty C
I'm very fortunate that my children have never been picky eaters. In fact, they love almost every type of food that they have tried. The main problem was keeping enough fresh fruit in the house. It always seemed to disappear too quickly.
Betty C
Tweet -twitter.com/willitara/status/67489274685177856
Jennifer
We told our daughter that you can't visit new, exciting places if you don't try new food.. now she'll try anything for a chance to go to Paris!
Anne
I just serve healthy foods and figure that sooner or later the kids will eat them. We keep little junk food in the house, which helps because they do get hungry. My oldest daughter commented just yesterday that she loves black beans now, and can’t believe it took her so long to try them.
Anne
I blogged
unaj14568.blogspot.com/2011/05/tropicana-giveaways.html
Mari
I keep a veggie tray with my family's favorite dips out on the table in between meals, rather than processed junk food.
Mari
I tweeted:
twitter.com/LuckyDuckyToo/status/67628785192812544
Francine
I get them to eat their Vegetables by seasoning them with good tasting seasonings and herbs. They LOVE Fruit, so it is never a problem to get them to eat it.
aliaskys (at) yahoo . com
Thank You! 🙂
Joanne Schultz
Sometimes it’s easier to serve foods in a different way if your family doesn’t like them the way they are normally prepared. Cooked spinach- yuk, cooked spinach in cream sauce – double yuk! But put spinach leaves in a salad and that’s ok!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Donna K
I try to hide the veggies in the sauce.
Tracie Trump
We grow our veggies and kids water them and them pick them! We then rate our favs! tracietrumpatyahoo.com
Jill H
We love smoothies and these recipes are great!
Jill H
Tweet
twitter.com/jillyrh/status/67835641748140032