From the article: Healthy Recipes for Kids
Everybody wants healthy recipes to make sure their kids grow properly. But how do you define "healthy"? Low fat? Low carb? Low sugar? Low calorie? High in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber or heart-healthy fatty acids? Is a meringue cookie healthy because it has no fat, but also has virtually no nutrients? Share your ideas. Share Your Ideas
Homemade is Best
- Anything homemade is best. It's a better way to know how much fat, sugar and so on is in the foods. I sincerely believe that processed foods have contributed to the food allergies that cause suffering in too many of our children today.
- —CarrollPellegrinelli
More wholefoods and less processed foods
- I think it's pretty simple. More wholefoods, less processed foods and a balanced diet. A friend of mine with two kids (aged 8 & 11) had a lot of trouble trying to get them to eat vegetables until she allowed them to help her cook. Being involved in the process of preparing food, even if it was only washing vegies or stirring soup, got them interested in their food.
- —australianfood
Fresh, Flavorful, Balanced... Nutritious
- We like to prepare from scratch, with ingredients that are fresh, not processed. Recipes that together make a balanced diet (including lots of veggies, fruits and carbs for kid energy and protein for brain power) are super for kids. If you want kids to eat what you make, don't forget that it has to be flavorful, too!
- —Lisa_and_Tony_Sierra
Balanced
- I don't concern myself so much with a single recipe, but rather whether or not my kids' and my own diet balance out in the course of a week. We live overseas where there's still an emphasis on eating at home, starting with whole foods, etc., so I generally cook and bake almost entirely from scratch. A little more work, but it eliminates worry about preservatives and mystery ingredients.
- —Guest Christine
Home Cooked Food
- There's a technical/ scientific answer to this question and then there's a 'Mom answer' :-) I try hard to make sure my kids get some form of grains, veg, meat/ protein at almost every meal. This doesn't necessarily mean that my two fussy eaters are thrilled about eating the 'green stuff' :-)) Also, in my mind, home cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients beats processed ingredients or foods any day. I am also one of those Moms that doesn't think twice to add a dollop of butter to my kids' food, which is why I mentioned the scientific answer and the 'Mom answer' because that obviously can't be good always. I am also happy for the boys to have fizzy drinks, chocolate and lollies once in a rare while... moderation. All that said Stephanie, I looked at all your recipes in this article and they sound perfect... all foods I would love to see my boys eating! Great job!
- —Guest indianfood1
Whole foods, fruits, veggies
- Whole foods, with lots of fresh fruits and veggies. If the foods are introduced slowly and repeatedly I've found kids will try them and eventually like them. It also helps if they see you eat and love healthy foods. My nieces and nephew gobble down bell peppers, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, fruits like raspberries and strawberries, and love dark green salads. I've seen other kids whose parents don't make the effort and they are starting to grow up looking pretty unhealthy. But then, parenting is easiest when you don't have kids, right? :)
- —ABBUSYCOOKS
From Scratch
- Almost anything made from scratch at home is likely to be healthier than ready-made store-bought items, or food purchased at the local fast-food joint. From mac and cheese to cookies, if you make it from scratch, you don't have to worry about a long list of unpronounceable additives, preservatives and other questionable items. Plus, you can control portions. While I don't have my children follow any one kind of "diet," after all -- they're growing kids --I limit the amount of red meat, try and include fish and/or offer a vegetarian dish at least once a week. I make sure stews, soups and casseroles are chock-full of vegetables, and I choose brown stuff (whole grains) over white as far as my kids will let me! Finally, when we bake, we use some substitutions--less butter (or use oil or yogurt), less sugar, and some whole-wheat flour.
- —mamalama1
Keep it Whole
- I believe that teaching our kids to eat and enjoy unprocessed foods is the real challenge. With so many parents turning to packaged, convenience foods, it's easy for kids to lose a taste for less processed, whole foods. If they learn to appreciate unprocessed food, their palates will be less likely to crave the bad stuff like high fat and sugar recipes. Plus, I believe they will get a better dose of nutrition in the process.
- —ABENTRTAIN
Lower Fat, Lower Sugar, Lower Carbs
- I guess it boils down to moderation in everything. I say lowER fat, sugar and carbs, because kids, more so than adults, need some of that in their diet. In my mind, a healthy kid's meal would be a lower-fat protein, green veggies, whole-grain side (millet, barley, brown rice), and fruit for dessert. Not everyday, mind you, but three to four times a week would be great. Turkey sloppy joes on whole-grain buns with cole slaw and sliced peaches with a dollop of Cool Whip sounds OK to me!
- —Barb.Rolek
