Healthy Eating with Kids

Have you been struggling with eating healthier while also balancing family dynamics? Are you wondering how you can have both healthy meals and happy kids? Try these tips!

INVOLVE KIDS IN MEAL PREP
They can help you prepare by:

• Washing produce
• Stirring and mixing
• Using child-safe knives to help chop
• Adding a garnish on top of the plate

Involving your kids in cooking is a great way for them to start learning about food and healthy eating. Research even suggests cooking with kids may increase their preference for vegetables.

LET THEM PICK OUT FOOD 
Have them:

• Choose a vegetable for dinner
• Pick out healthy snacks to have in the house
• Select new foods in the grocery store they have never tried
• Choose theme nights, try: taco night, rainbow night (providing one food from each color), make a picnic (you can even do this indoors)

Use this as an opportunity to teach your kids about healthy eating with family activities.
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CONSULT A FAMILY-FRIENDLY COOKBOOK OR TRY ONE OF THESE HEALTHY RECIPES: 

• Roasted Chicken Tomato Pizza 
• Parmesan Broccoli Pasta 
• Whole Grain Chicken Tenders 
• Corn Zucchini Enchiladas 

Sometimes complicated meals can feel overwhelming for kids, stick to the basics and work from there.

REFERENCES:
American Heart Association editorial staff. When Kids Help Cook, Healthy Family Meals Are Easier. American Heart Association. Updated August 23, 2019. Accessed April 2023. 
Asigbee F, Davis J, Markowitz A, et al. The Association Between Child Cooking Involvement in Food Preparation and Fruit and Vegetable Intake in a Hispanic Youth Population. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2020; 4(4).
Spill M, Callahan E, Johns K, et al. Repeated Exposure to Foods and Early Food Acceptance: A Systematic Review. USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review. 2019. 

By Maria Cherry, MGH Dietetic Intern