Teaching Your Toddler to Love Healthy Foods

Helping our children develop and grow into healthy adults is one of our most important jobs as parents. When it comes to our children it is never too early to teach them healthy eating habits.

As parents we should explain to our children the importance of eating fruits and vegetables so their eyes, muscles and teeth will be healthy. We can also explain to them that candy and junk food may taste yummy, but eating too much is not good for our bodies, so we should only eat them as a special treat. This can be hard to do when there is a fast food restaurant on every corner. Today's families are busier than ever before, and it seems like the easiest foods to give are children are almost always the least healthy.

The best way to get your children to eat healthy is to make it fun. Children as young as two-years-old will enjoy learning about vegetables, meats and fruits, and how important it is to eat healthy everyday. Although it may not be possible to get your kids to like every fruit and vegetable that you put on their plate, there are ways to help your child begin to enjoy and make healthy food choices.

1. Place a food pyramid chart on your refrigerator showing which foods they need to eat for a healthy body.

2. Allow your children to help you prepare healthy snacks that include their favorite fruits and vegetables.

3. Perk up the flavor of vegetables by using dipping sauces. Peanut butter is an excellent dip or topping for apples or celery. And most children will enjoy eating cucumbers and broccoli if you provide them with ranch dressing for dipping.

4. Enlist your child's help in the kitchen. Allow them to help you pick out the fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, and then wash it once you arrive home.

5. If all else fails sneak it in. Sometimes we cannot get our children to eat their fruits and vegetables no matter how hard we try. So, sneak it in without their knowing by making muffins or bread with raisins, nuts, bananas and apples, or create a delicious pizza with pineapple, spinach, tomatoes and onions.

Healthy eating can be fun!

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