Healthy Eating for the Kiddos
Healthy eating habits start at an early age and are highly influenced by parents. What may be a challenge is how to incorporate healthy eating habits into our every day busy schedules. Here are a few tips for encouragement!
Homemade Baby Food
Wholesomebabyfood.com has great recipes and ideas for homemade baby food. Most foods can easily be made in the blender with no need for fancy food processors. Foods can be frozen in BPA-free trays that are 1-ounce portions in each cube. Green Sprouts makes a great eco-friendly option. Don't be discouraged if your child doesn't like the taste of something, chances are if you try it again a few weeks later they will eat it. Here are a few must have veggies, grains, legumes and fruits for introducing solids (organic when available):
Apples, Bananas, Avocado, Carrot (steamed and blended), Peas (cooked and blended), Brown Rice (blended into fine powder and cooked), Organic Oat Groats (blended into fine powder and cooked), Sweet Potato, Spinach, Kale, Squash, Quinoa.
Toddler Snacks
Halved Grapes
Organic String Cheese
Baby Carrots
Hummus & Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Raisins
Ants on a Log (celery, peanut butter or almond butter, raisins)
Fun Meals to Make with Kids
Sushi, not sure if your kiddo is ready for sushi, then make sushi sandwiches. Spread your favorite butter (Peanut, Almond, Nutella, Cheese) on a slice of bread, then from one side tightly roll. Cut the roll and place flat for serving.
A twist on fries, yes fries - try out baked sweet potato or zucchini fries, and get your little ones to help dip and place on baking sheet.
Add something creative to mealtime, let them build something with blocks of cheese, or color/decorate their toast, cut food into shapes that they can name off or create a puzzle.
For more fun ideas, check out Petit Appetit: Eat Drink and Be Merry: Easy, Organic Snacks, Beverages and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages.
Kitchen Kid also offers a great way to educate your kids on healthy cooking. They are a mobile culinary school for kids in Los Angeles with class offerings including birthday parties, summer camps and family classes.
Quick Options
Wipe up a smoothie in minutes - keep favorite fruits in the freezer, you can also sneak in some veggies, add milk or yogurt and blend. Serve with a fun straw or fruit cutout.
Fruit skewers - alternate cubed fruit (grape, strawberries, melons, pineapple all work really well) on a skewer.
Veggie/Meat skewers for dinner - add cheeses, sliced meats, and veggies for a great meal.
Grocery Choices
There are many grocery options in Los Angeles offering fresh, local and organic food.
Visit your local Trader Joe's, born in 1967 in Pasadena, for affordable organic produce, where all Trader Joe's brand food has no MSG, no GMOs, no Trans Fats and no artificial colors, preservatives and flavors.
The Santa Monica Co-op has been providing natural and organic foods to Santa Monica and the surrounding area since 1974.
Spud! offers local and organic grocery delivery right to your door with several purchasing options.
Baby's Belly offers homemade baby food delivery options using fresh, organic foods.
Veggie Soup Recipe
This soup, while mushy and easy to eat, should be made for a child that is eating a greater variety of vegetables and some spices.
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
1 tbls olive oil or coconut oil
12 ounces of Organic, Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
4 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup frozen peas
5 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks green onion, sliced
1 cups spinach
1 cups kale
1-2 cups water
In a medium sauce pan, add the oil and diced yellow onion, cooking until the onions take on a clearness. Pour in the vegetable stock and add all the vegetables. Add water so all veggies are submerged and cook until the potatoes and carrots are soft. Pour contents of sauce pan into the blender and blend until pureed. Serve warm with parmesan cheese or cream optional.
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