As a dietitian, I have a strong interest in having my family eat healthy. But I also want them to like and enjoy healthy foods. Being a mother has allowed me to use my children as guinea pigs in regard to healthy eating. Although no one in my family has diabetes, we follow the healthy eating guidelines that I teach to my patients with diabetes (with the exception of a gluten-free diet for me due to celiac disease). So, I decided to share a few healthy eating tips that I use with my family.
1. Buy more real food
Stock your house with healthy foods to set your family up for success. The more fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, yogurt, and nuts available in the house, the more your family will eat them over overprocessed, packaged foods.
2. Make vegetables taste good
Vegetables can be the biggest food challenge for both adults and kids, so trying to get your family to eat more veggies requires them to taste good. Different ways appeal to different people. My four-year-old daughter loves cucumbers and hummus. My six-year-old son loves raw carrots with a little dip. My husband likes the convenience of buying a large veggie tray and snacking on that.
But, the number one way I have gotten my family to eat more veggies is by roasting vegetables. Roasting brings out more flavor in veggies and you can roast just about any kind - broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, and carrots. Simply cut up vegetables (small florets for broccoli and cauliflower, cut Brussel sprouts in half) and drizzle veggies with olive oil, salt (if allowed), and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-25 minutes, until veggies are slightly brown and cooked. You can sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese if needed. A little chopped, cooked bacon with Brussel sprouts makes them taste amazing.
3. Get kids involved in shopping, cooking, and gardening
Kids of all ages can learn about healthy eating by getting more involved in meal preparation. Have your kids pick out a new fruit or vegetable to try at the grocery store. Let them assist in the kitchen so they can learn how to cook and prepare healthier foods. My daughter loves to bake, so we make healthy treats like banana bread, muffins, and snack mixes. My son loves cracking eggs so he helps with that.
Having a garden is another great way to get your family eating healthy food from your backyard. Have the kids help with planting the garden. If you start at a young age, they will learn to love watching things grow and eating foods straight out of the garden. You don't need a huge space for a garden - it's amazing what you can grow while only using pots or small garden boxes. We have grown cantaloupe, strawberries, cucumbers, peppers, and herbs in our garden box.
4. Take advantage of your family's hunger
Introduce a new vegetable or food when both kids and adults are hungry (maybe right before dinner). Serve this food before the rest of the meal comes out to table. When we are hungrier, certain foods tend be more appealing.
5. Don't assume you (or your kids) will never like certain foods.
Our tastes change as we age, so certain foods we didn't like as kids may now appeal to us as adults. I remember when my daughter was two-years-old and she wouldn't eat broccoli. I kept serving it on her plate and she wouldn't eat it. One day I was rushing and almost skipped the broccoli for her, but I didn't and gave her a serving. I was shocked to see her eating the broccoli and liking it! I thought that was going to be a food she would never eat and I was wrong. She still eats it today. So, don't give up!
6. Make only ONE healthy meal for the entire family
Meal preparation takes time and effort, so only offer one meal for adults, kids, and anyone that has diabetes in the family. Healthy eating is good for the entire family and if a child doesn't like the dinner they should NOT be offered chicken nuggets or mac and cheese instead. This encourages children to avoid trying and eating healthy foods and can cause kids to get into ruts of only eating certain foods. Kids learn quickly how to try to control the dinner table and parents must be in charge to put an end to this behavior.
7. Do not forbid treats or favorite foods
Favorite foods or treats should not be forbidden for adults or children. If possible, figure out how to make healthy treats like pumpkin muffins, oat snack balls, smoothies, etc. Allow certain occasional foods that might not be the healthiest choice. If you have diabetes and are on insulin, adjust it as directed.
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NOTE: The information is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for consultation with a qualified medical professional or for professional medical advice related to diabetes or another medical condition. Please contact your physician or medical professional with any questions and concerns about your medical condition.
