How to Get Your Children to Eat Veggies!

Many moms wrestle with the balance between nutrition and letting their kids enjoy themselves every now and then.  And, in speaking with many moms I know that it can be either a tad difficult or just impossible to make sure our kids are getting what they need.  Bottom line, kids would rather eat what tastes yummy over what is good for them.  Knowing what I have learned over the years about nutrition and disease over the years, it's downright dangerous for us to give in and just do what is easy.  I believe our job as parents includes setting them up to be healthy people.  Laying a foundation of good food choices is one of the best and most enduring gifts you can give your child.

So, here are some tips on how to ensure that your little ones eat their greens!!

1.  Start young - as soon as our children could eat solids, I would help them by giving one bite of what they didn't like so much followed by one bite of something tasty like unsweetened applesauce.
We also made homemade baby food by blending whatever nutritious meal we made so that their palate matched ours.  That way they got used to eating veggies and such as they grew.

2.  The one meal challenge - we insisted that our children eat what we ate, even if they didn't like it.  We didn't make separate meals for them ever.  I am not speaking to people with children that have food allergies or other physical conditions, because beyond dairy my children could eat anything, which made it easy for us all to eat together.

3.  Smoothies!- I found out by trial and error that most dark greens (something they need each day) like kale or spinach (I love the baby versions of both) are totally undetectable in a fruit smoothy!  I make one every day and it's the best multivitamin ever.  Here is one of many versions we make and they love it!
   
     Healthy Fruit Smoothy

    Into a blender add:
    1 banana
    2-3 cups berries, frozen
    2-3 handfuls dark greens (baby kale or baby spinach are my fav)
    1 cup or so almond or coconut milk
    3-4 cups water
    1 scoop vegetable protein powder, vanilla flavored (found in health food stores)
    1 Tbs ground flax seed

    Blend for 1-1/2 min or until smooth.  Serves 4 (2 large adult portions and 2 childrens' cups)

4.  Family salad time - The other day I wanted salad for lunch and I was tempted to make them a different lunch but changed my mind.  So, instead my 3 and 5 year olds jumped in and helped make it!  They cracked and peeled the hard-boiled eggs, put veggies in a the bowl and washed things for me.  I made the dressing myself but left out the honey.  Instead, in front of them I drizzled it over their salad after I had dressed the whole thing.  I tell you they oooed and ahhhed and mmmmed the whole time and wolfed down that salad!!  I was so encouraged.  Here is the salad we made.

    Healthy Fun Salad

    Into a large bowl add the following (all veggies mentioned were chopped)
    1 tomato
    2 green onions
    6 small baby bella mushrooms
    4 handfuls baby spinach
    1/2 cup craisins
    1/8 cup sunflower seeds
    2 hardboiled eggs
    2 med carrots, grated
    2 celery
    1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles
    salt/pepper

    Dressing:
    2 Tbs (or so) balsamic vinegar - they like the slight sweetness
    1 clove garlic, pressed
    1/8 cup olive oil
    1 Tbs dijon mustard
    salt/pepper
    1 tsp honey, which I drizzled separately on their salad instead

5.  Healthy treat bribery - if nothing else works, it seems to motivate our children when they envision a treat at the end of their healthy ordeal.  I know it seems like a cop out, but I have found ways to make even their treats leave them with some nutrition.  Here are some:

    Dark chocolate - I buy at least 70% and they love it.  One square of a bar does the trick and the health         benefits are amazing!!
    Organic animal crackers - at least they are organic and they are thrilled with 1 or 2
    Homemade pops - we bought a Zoku, which is a home pop maker.  It freezes any liquid in about 10 min,
    which means you can start the pops right around the time you start your bribery and they are done by the
    time you need them.  Frozen organic juice is delicious to them in a pop.  Here is a great recipe for
    chocolate pops that are very healthy and delicious:

    Homemade chocolate pops

    1 can coconut milk (the creamy kind)
    1/4 cup Hershey's cocoa powder (it's sugar free!! just cocoa solids!)
    1 Tbs agave syrup (because it blends better but use honey if you don't have agave)
    pinch salt
    whisk together and taste first - if you are satisfied, pour into pop molds (I recommend the Zoku)
 
    Homemade sorbet - Simply put frozen berries and apple or orange juice into either a blender or a                 container and use your stick blender.  I found my stick blender to work really well.  The kids think they
    eating ice cream, literally.

Anyway, hopefully these tips come in handy.  I would love to hear what you do!!
Take care,

SAHM
   

What is a Stay-at-Home Family?

Hello again,

So, you might be newly married or a new mom or just making some significant changes in your family.  I would love to help!

Or, you might just want to peek in at "those people" who do this.  There are still some us out there.

In any case, the question is, "What does your family look like?"
Mind you, every family is beautifully unique, as should they be, but there tend to be some similarities.

My husband earns a living from his work - he owns his own business and works from home.
I do not earn a living from mine - to take care of the children, manage the home and provide meals for the family.  We both had a need to carve our own path and not work for others.
I homeschool my kindergarten-age son and he goes to a charter school once a week.  Our default neighborhood school just didn't feel right to me.  Plus, as a former teacher it gives me great joy to participate in his learning.
We are on a budget so that we can be in control of our lifestyle - saving where we need to and splurging where we can.
We are very diet conscientious, sticking mostly to vegetarian and organic meals made at home.  We like knowing what is in our foods and the result in our children is amazing.   We feel pretty great too.
I had all three of our children naturally and without complications or drugs.
We have a pediatrician but only use them for emergencies and yearly checkups.  I use home remedies and good nutrition for most everything else.

There are so many facets to this and I don't want to bore you, but the general trend is HOME.
Home is where the heart is.  The more diligently I pour myself into my family and my duties at home, the happier we all are.  Yes, it's old-fashioned but it works for us and we are sure avoiding many of society's ills.
We have a wonderful community of believers around us too, which is a huge component of our life.  It takes a village to raise a family.  I firmly believe that.  There's nothing like being surrounded by a group of loving friends who are there for you and vice-versa.  There's nothing like knowing people are praying for you and that God is there loving and protecting you.  But you don't have to be a believer in God to have a Stay-at-Home Family, just a desire to be a bit more thoughtful and present in your family's direction.

My husband sure appreciates me and my kids are healthy and happy.

Hope to see you soon!
SAHM

Welcome to my blog!

Just over 7 years ago I married a man 9 years younger than me.  I was 35 and he a tender 26.  His dream before he met me was to buy a short bus and live off the grid, while I hailed from the land of country clubs and careers.  To say that I had many things to learn from him was an understatement.  Eventually I was to transform my lifestyle so completely and satisfyingly that I felt compelled to share a few things I have learned.

If you wish to join me on this journey, my blog will cover such topics as:

What is a stay-at-home family?

BUDGET is not a bad word.

The importance of organics.

The impact of diet on us and our children.

The roles of wife and husband.

What a community of believers can do for your life.

Trusting your instincts and your inner voice.

Living a drug-free (pharmaceutical, that is) life.

Why we don't immunize.

Living rich whatever your income.

And so much more!!

I can truly say I am a very happy, fulfilled woman and that, even though I have trials, I have more than I need.

I hope to see you again!

Sincerely,

Stay-at-home Mom (SAHM)