Everyone is doing it... Right? I mean... It's all the rage; getting your kids to eat healthy food. People everywhere are talking about the way children eat and how it affects them. If you saw Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC last Friday you got a glimpse of just how poorly some kids are eating. Our First Lady is on a mission to fight childhood obesity with her Let's Move campaign. It's not a joke, people; this is serious stuff!
so.... What's the problem? My sister Jill, my best friend Louise
and I are all chefs. Kale, asparagus, quinoa, parsley, tomatoes, avocado, lentils, beans, spinach and peas are all a regular... Yes, REGULAR part of their everyday diet.
I have been talking, talking, talking (easy for me...) to parents who are having a lot of trouble getting their kids to eat healthy food. So many parents are frustrated and so many kids are not eating well.
So... What are Chef Mamma's and parents of healthy eaters doing differently? I think one of most valuable tips is that we present our food, all food, with confidence! We love our yummy greens and we honestly don't see any reason why our babies shouldn't either!
WE BELIEVE "KID'S FOOD" IS REAL FOOD. By adjusting the texture NOT omitting entire food groups!
* From the start, we put greens in everything; a big handful of parsley in scrambled eggs, spinach in a quesadilla, grated zucchini mixed into brown rice, chopped (really chopped) up broccoli in ground turkey or lamb, avocado and tomato in quinoa.
* We lightly season our food and moisten it with extra virgin olive oil, or add fresh ricotta cheese or sour cream and Greek yogurt to smooth out textures.
* Use sweet potato or yam to sweeten it up a bit!
Above all... Keep an open mind and don't let go of your preconceived ideas get in the way of giving your babies the amazing gift of a healthy fresh start!
