Meal Wars: Getting Kids to Eat Healthier

Parent Quiz: Your child refuses to eat the food on their plate. Do you:

1. Guilt trip (For example, say: there are starving children around the world.)
2. Make them have one forkful
3. Negotiate
4. Punish
5. Make them something else

Although many parents use a variety of tactics, nutritional experts say the best way to get kids to eat healthy meals is to let them select what they want to eat — and when.

“The parents’ job is to provide their kids with a variety of healthy foods to eat,” says Katherine Shary, registered dietitian with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “It is up to that child to decide if they want to eat the offered food. A lot of times parents are well intentioned and overthink food, forcing kids to eat a certain type and a certain amount. Let the child decide and they will develop healthy eating habits.”

She adds, “It’s giving power to kids and helps decrease power struggles. It takes the pressure off parents. Children have hunger cues and will eat when they need to.”

Yes, but doesn’t that cause an imbalance of nutrition that can be detrimental to a child’s growth, both physically and mentally? Should a child really be responsible for their nutrition? While the answer to the latter is a clear yes, there are strategies parents can use to nudge kids into making smart decisions so that they get what they need to develop strong bodies and minds.

Kate Keirsey, a registered dietitian and owner of Wellfed Family Nutrition Services, sees the battle from two angles: picky eaters and worried parents. “Forcing the kids to try it will just reinforce that they won’t eat it but there are ways to introduce foods in different ways.”

It’s up to the parents to set the stage for the child to want to eat healthy foods — most of the time. In the battle of nutrition, rather than open war, try sabotage and guerrilla tactics.

Sneak Attack

“The number one issue you see in childhood nutrition is that they need to eat more fruits and vegetables,” says Carolyn O’Neil, a registered dietitian nutritionist and host of Watch What You Eat with Carolyn O’Neil. “And, it doesn’t take a lot to get the job done — a couple of servings a day. Unfortunately, we’re not even doing that. But there are ways to help kids get the nutrition they need to grow and also not have issues, such as constipation and tummy issues from not getting enough fiber.”

One tactic is to take foods kids naturally like, such as pizza and burgers, and make them healthier, says Chef Christian Evans, culinary director at Divan Restaurant & Bar, a Persian restaurant in Midtown. He suggests mini pizza bites but using zucchini squares instead of dough and putting favorite pizza toppings, such as cheese, sauce and meats on it. “It’s a fun healthy version,” he says.

Speaking of pizza, try adding creative and healthy toppings such as chopped sweet peppers and sautéed wheels of zucchini. While many put pineapples on pizzas, O’Neil says she’s been known to slip thin slices of strawberries underneath the pepperoni. “It adds a bit of sweetness to the saltiness of the pepperoni, and it’s delicious.” Like Evans, she’s a fan of alternative pizzas. “Take an English muffin, add sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese and try to add a vegetable.”

There are some who advocate sneaking vegetables into recipes, such as adding sweet potatoes into a chocolate milkshake or cauliflower into mashed potatoes. “The jury is out on all that, and you should be honest about it. But putting carrots into meatballs is great,” says O’Neil. “I also love adding chopped mushrooms into the hamburger mix. It’s another vegetable but also makes the burger more moist and super flavorful.”

Even desserts may be more nutritious if you, say, serve cake with strawberries or blueberries on the side or make fruit cups and add some syrup from frozen fruits. Want to serve favorite fruits but they are out of season or, frankly, too expensive? Frozen fruit is just as nutritious.

Supplies at the Ready

“Kids, as they experience body growth, seem to be always hungry and they’re going to go to the kitchen to put something in their mouths,” says Kristen Elliott, nutrition specialist at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “They become teen hunger machines! So, let them have some chips but paired with fruit or protein bars that they can easily grab. Milk is a great source of protein and calcium, so suggest they have a bowl of cereal where they will get vitamins and protein.”

Fruit sitting on the counter may be more appealing to dust than children, so slice up the apples, oranges and peaches (especially grapes, which can be a choking hazard). Make it more fun by adding dips, such as yogurt, hummus, cottage cheese, nut butter or cheese spread. Put some Goldfish crackers on a plate along with string cheese, chances are both will be eaten.

Many parents think there are only two dinner options — a traditional home-cooked meal and take-out, but there are plenty of variations in between. Use a fresh protein, and then, get some help from the freezer section with vegetables and other sides.

“Remember every meal doesn’t have to be perfect,” says Shary. “Canned green beans are nutritious. If you’re doing takeout, order grilled chicken instead of fried. Try a meatless meal every week; beans are cheap and filling.”

Battle Plans

When you’re part of the process, you tend to be more invested — and it’s the same with food. Take the kids grocery shopping but turn it more into an adventure than a chore. Go down the aisles and let them help select the watermelon or decide to have a salad with dinner rather than broccoli. “If they don’t eat meat, teach them about protein and have them find suitable substitutes, such as edamame,” says Keirsey.

The supermarket or farmer’s market are also sources to find new fruits and vegetables. “So many people are used to eating broccoli and asparagus and usually children aren’t big fans, but parents should know there are so many other vegetables,” says Chef Evans. “At the grocery store, you and your child can have fun looking at strange foods and deciding to try them. Teenagers, especially, become more curious about food as they become more exposed to different foods because of their friends or traveling. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to cook them.

Among his recommendations are bok choy, which is similar to a cabbage, or kohlrabi, a cabbage that is native to Europe, especially Germany, and has a mildly sweet taste, similar to a broccoli stem. Dragon fruit has a sweet taste and is similar to a pear or kiwi while jicama is a brown-skinned root vegetable that is often eaten raw in salads or with chili and lime.

Lead By Example

Yes, it comes back to the parents. While it is up to the parents to provide healthy nutritious meals, it’s also the parents’ job to eat healthy nutritious meals themselves. Let your kids see you reach for a peach instead of chips. Try new foods with a smile.

Remember it’s a nutritional marathon, not a race. Studies show that a person may need up to 15 tries before they change their mind about a food. If a child — or teen — doesn’t like something, don’t give up. Keep introducing it and they may try it and eventually like it. Also, remember a child’s taste buds change as they get older. “If a child doesn’t like cooked carrots, try roasting them with honey or serving them raw with ranch dressing or shredded with raisins,” suggests Keirsey. “Chances are they will like one of the preparations and eventually eat them all.”

Of course, when a child discovers something he or she loves, binging tends to be the result. “When you give ice cream to a child for the first time or they discover a new flavor, they want it all the time. They want it for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” says Chef Evans. “Well, me too! The older they get, they will understand there is a time and place for everything.

Tired of the same old meals every week? If you are, so are your kids. Get help to spice up dinner time. Go to websites, such as acfb.org and strong4life.com, where they post nutritious recipes as well as information on kids eating habits and nutritional guidelines.

– Mary Welch