If finding easy, nutritious meals and snacks feels like a daily struggle, you’re definitely not alone. Research has shown that a whopping 58 percent of parents find it challenging to coax their kids into consistently eat a balanced diet. Between super-busy schedules, ultra-picky phases, and never-ending advice from basically everybody about what your kids should be eating, providing snacks and meals you feel good about can become a bummer of a blend between stress, second-guessing, and “okay, sure, just eat SOMETHING!”
The good news? Smart eating for your kids doesn’t have to mean ideal meals with the perfect ratio of protein, carbs, fiber and fat. You don’t need to sleuth out ways to sneak in spinach and kale. And you definitely don’t need to survive stand-offs at the table every single day. For starters, smart eating isn’t about everyone wiping their plate clean or savoring every last bite. For most families, it’s about finding a mix of tried-and-true snacks and meals, a blend of familiar foods as well as newer options, and a compromise between nutritious choices and letting kids lean into their hunger cues and taste preferences. To that end, we talked to experts and rounded up some healthy eating tips and meals for kids.
Include Your Kids in Food Decisions
A great way to make healthy eating for kids a little easier: “Get the kids involved in the menu, shopping, and cooking,” suggests mom of five Annamarie Rodriguez, MS, RDN, a plant-based dietitian and owner of Nutrition Directions LLC in Sturtevant, Wisconsin. Amy Palanjian, creator Yummytoddlerfood.com and author of Dinnertime SOS, agrees: “It can help to make a big list of all of the foods your kids like, including snacks, sides, and main dishes.” From there, you can strategize on what to eat and, when kids are old enough, include them in the food prep. Whether it’s simply stirring in an ingredient or being in charge of salad, engaging kids pays off. In fact, one study found that children who were involved in preparing meals ate 76% more veggies and 24% overall when compared to kids who weren’t included in meal prep.
Map Out Your Plans
Just like you set an agenda for meetings or weekday schedules, it helps to sketch out some ideas for what to eat. “Meal planning in advance saves both time, money, and boosts nutrients,” says Rodriguez. Of course, planning meals takes time — something that 12% of parents say they don’t have enough of to prep healthy food — but it pays off. It can save time in the grocery store and much of the meal prep can be done in advance, particularly when you cook in batches or do easy sheet pan dinners.
Be Patient with Particular Palates
Got a picky eater? More than 50% of parents say they do… and research indicates that it could be inherited. But that’s no reason to panic. “Kids naturally are exposed to a range of foods over the course of a whole week or month. It’s okay if they eat mostly the same foods in phases, then have variety sprinkled in — that’s actually how most adults eat, too,” says Palanjian.
Keep Eating Times Predictable
“Sticking to scheduled meals and snacks helps build routines,” says Rodriguez. It also makes it easier to introduce new foods if your child is hungry. And don’t give up if they turn down something novel the first time: “Repeat offering new foods, because it can take up to 20 tries before a child might accept it,” Rodriguez explains, adding that pairing a new food with a food the child enjoys can encourage acceptance. (One of our favorites? Adding cheese to broccoli.)
Be Open to Mixing Things Up
Breakfast for dinner? Dinner for breakfast? Do what works for your kids. “Remember that kids often don’t care when foods are served, so you can offer dinner leftovers for breakfast and breakfast for lunch,” says Palanjian. “That just expands your options, which can help.”
Stick to Basic Breakfasts
No need to commit to concocting an elaborate morning meal, but aim to have your child eat at least a few bites of breakfast. Having breakfast not only gives little bodies a much-needed boost of nutrition and energy in the morning, but research has shown that children who regularly eat breakfast are more likely to reach their daily nutrition needs compared to those who skip it. Plus, additional research has shown that kids who eat breakfast in the morning perform better in school, particularly in areas of attention and memory. Need some AM meal inspo to help kids eat healthier? Get 11 easy breakfast ideas.
Give Your Lunchbox Game Some Love
“When I feel like we’ve run out of all lunch ideas, I turn to yogurt, granola, and fruit, which is a fun breakfast-for-lunch,” says Palanjian, who also recommends her Sandwich Roll-Ups (using the same ingredients as regular sandwiches but in a more fun shape) or DIY Lunchables. “They’re so easy to assemble using whichever proteins, carbs, and desserts I happen to have on hand.”
Simplify Your Suppers
Palanjian prefers one-pan meals that please everyone. “My kids and I all love my Skillet Lasagna, which takes about 20 minutes and is so easy to make in one pan,” she shares. Other favorites: Burrito Bowls (which can be happily customized per person and per palate) and Greek Yogurt Pizza. “It has the easiest ever homemade crust that doesn’t require any kneading and has a great texture for kids,” Palanjian adds. “It’s also a little more filling from the protein in the Greek yogurt, which is a bonus.” For 9 easy dinner ideas that kids love, check out these recipes.
Sit down together as a family
As kids get older, schedules get trickier but try to share meals together as a family as often as you can. It’s a great time to model healthy eating, especially if you serve one meal for everyone. If your child refuses to try what you’ve served, try to resist the parade of alternate food options. (A whopping 61% of parents admit to preparing something different if their child doesn’t like what other family members are eating.) Instead, skip the short-order cook routine, and aim to include at least one food that your child prefers with each meal.
Develop a Snack Strategy
A common healthy-eating hurdle: Your child is ravenous after school and inhales so many snacks in the afternoon that they’re not hungry when it’s dinner time. Consider offering one solid snack (with some hunger-taming protein) after school then explain that the next time to eat will be at dinner. Another idea? Move dinnertime earlier, so if your child had just a small snack, it won’t be too long before dinner.
Quick Solutions to Common Food Struggles
When it comes to eating, some kids find lots of reasons to resist. (Oh, let us count the ways). We’ve got some advice for handling a few common food struggles.
“My Child Is Soooooo Picky.”
It’s normal for your child to be picky as their food choices and palate expands. Try to offer a variety of foods with zero pressure or avoid preparing a separate meal for him/her whenever possible.
“My Child Only Wants Snacks.”
Grazing is a common habit among all of us! Although balanced snacks can actually encourage your child to eat at meal time, try to keep snacks snack-size to avoid ruining their appetite.
“My Child Won’t Eat Veggies.”
If your little one has a penchant for rejecting produce, be patient. You can try offering vegetables in lots of different ways: Raw with hummus or ranch dressing, mixed into a tasty sauce they love, on top of pizza with lots of cheese. Consider including your child in finding creative ways to make vegetables palatable and give it time. Chances are, they will grow out of this veggie-hating phase before you know it. And, “remember that fruit has most of the same nutrients as veggies do,” says Palanjian. If your child loves strawberries, for example, rest assured that he or she is getting vitamin C, folate and fiber, the same nutrients found in broccoli.
“I Just Don’t Have Time”
If time is tight, remember that meals don’t need to be complicated. A few 10-minute options include store-bought rotisserie chicken with a side of fruit or veggies and rice, or scrambled eggs with cheese and tomato plus whole-grain toast. Simple can be just a nutritious and delicious. Also? Repeating meals is okay. Tried-and-true meals reduce stress for everyone.
How Can Sitters Support Your Family’s Food Routines?
So many ways! Caregivers can be a genius ally in supporting smart food strategies. For starters, sitters and nannies can create a calm, positive environment by eliminating any battles over every bite while following any family rules. (Be sure to clearly communicate your preferences for meals and snacks.) They can offer nutritious yet yummy snack options, adopt encouraging language, and model their own balanced approach to eating. Including kids in simple food prep while keeping eating and meal time free of any screens or devices are other ways caregivers can contribute. Zapping pressure to be part of the Clean Plate Club will also help kids feel more confident and relaxed about food. Caregivers can also introduce new foods – maybe some of their own family favorites — to encourage trying new foods, too. Altogether, these moments add up to supporting healthy eating for kids and your whole family’s smart eating habits.
