MyPlate to be exact, is the branded term for the new federal goverment dietary guidelines. MyPlate advises Americans to enjoy their food, but less of it- based on a plate divided into quadrants. 1/4 fruit, 1/4 vegetables, 1/4 protein and 1/4 whole grains- and a serving of low fat dairy.
As parents of pre-school and elementary children, we all know that mealtimes can be challenging. It's easy to get into the habit- especially with our time starved lives to whip up sureshot dinners that we know our little ones will eat such as pasta or chicken strips- and forget about our much needed greens and reds!
Statistics show that only 22% of children aged 2-5; and only 16% of children aged 6 and up are getting the government recommended fresh fruit and vegetables- according to a recent study from Ohio State University. We live in a nation with ever-increasing rates of Type 2 diabetes and obesity amongst adults and sadly, amongst our children as well.
Here are five easy tips, that we hope will help those of you who have picky little ones- to help introduce fruits and veggies into their diets and to help them become stronger and healthier eaters!
1. Re-Brand! Make up new names for vegetables. Create silly names like "Power Pellets" for things like brussel sprouts or green beans- to make them more kid-friendly and appealing.
2. The One Bite Rule. Try telling your child that they at least, need to take one full bite of something before vetoing it. At least it gets them trying something, and hopefully eventually getting comfortable with it.
3. Shop and Cook with your Kids. Let your kids pick one vegetable that looks appealing to them- then also let them help your prepare them. It's easy to let them (depending on age of course) to wash, snip, or pour a little dressing on a salad to steamed green beans. If they take part in preparing something to more apt they may be to wanting to eat it- even if it's a little bite!
4. Hide the Veggies. The simplest place to sneak in vegetables is your basic spaghetti sauce! Steam, boil and puree squash, spinach or sweet potatoes- and mix into your favorite tomato sauce. Add some parmesan cheese into the sauce as well- and we guarantee your little ones won't know the difference.
5. Hold Dessert Hostage. For those households out there that enjoy dessert after meals, this is a simple, and seemingly not-so-nice way to get them to try vegetables, but it usually works. Tell them that they have to eat their vegetables (set them up for success by starting with a small portion!) in order to get dessert. Show them that it applies to the grown ups as well. Soon enough it will become second nature and sometimes dessert will even go un-noticed.
Good luck and happy healthy eating!!!
