5 Ways to Make Healthy Food Fun for Kids

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5 Ways to Make Healthy Food Fun for Kids

If your children are like most modern kids, dinnertime is a showdown of epic proportions. On one side is the young one who wants chicken nuggets, ice cream, and any other tasty treats that are full of fat, sugar, and preservatives, while you’re on the other side of the table wishing you knew how to convince your son or daughter that healthy foods matter.

The dinner table doesn’t have to be a warzone every night. With a few simple tips and ideas, you can make eating healthy a fun and exciting event that not only keeps your children interested, but also helps ensure that they receive the recommended amount of vitamins and nutrients each day. Teaching your kids about nutrition early will help them create healthy values and routines that will last a lifetime.

Let Them Help Make Dinner

Yes, you read that right. The first idea, straight from The Nemours Foundation, is to get your kids into the kitchen for a little family fun and cooking. While this might be the stuff of nightmares for some parents, it’s all about breaking up the duties into manageable activities and helping children feel they are an important part of the process. Kids love that “big boy/big girl” feeling, so asking them to stir or add ingredients makes them feel helpful and proud of what they’ve accomplished and wanting to try the finished product.

Naturally, you don’t want to ask them to move boiling pots of water or pull trays out of the oven, but any little job that you can let your young ones help out with is a great way to share a moment of bonding and get them excited about trying healthy foods. There are even specially-made kid-friendly cooking tools, including safe knives, available for those who want an even more hands-on approach. Try starting out with simple tasks such as measuring and stirring. As they grow older and more confident, they can help with more complicated tasks, under your watchful eye of course!

A Little Dipping Goes a Long Way

The Nemours Foundation goes on to explain that young ones, especially toddlers and preschoolers, love the concept of dipping, so building some meal ideas around this activity is a good idea to turn boring, healthy foods into fun options even picky eaters will enjoy. Veggies with yogurt or hummus work great in this role. Additionally, low-fat dressing and melted cheese work well as a dipping base for carrots, broccoli, and any other healthy treat that your kids might be hesitant to give a shot under normal circumstances.

Names Add Fun

Another creative way to add fun to eating healthy is by giving everything a name, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA.) Sure, this might seem a little awkward at first, but spending just a few minutes watching your young child play with his or her toys will show you just how much kids love assigning special names and titles to their belongings. Naming certain snacks after your child, like “Paul’s Perfect Potatoes” or “Sarah’s Smiling Sandwich,” can make your child feel special.

Get Creative With Fun Food Shapes

If this doesn’t quite do the trick, it’s time to break out the cookie cutters for some fun with shapes. Again, the USDA offers up this tip to help make eating healthy more enjoyable for everyone at the table. By picking up a simple bag of cookie cutters, you can turn boring meals and snacks into a family even that has everyone looking to join in. For instance, instead of boring apple slices at snack time, you can turn these healthy treats into a variety of shapes, like hearts, trees, and stars, which will have your kids clamoring for more designs as they work their way through a full serving.

Turn Grocery Shopping Into a “Healthy Scavenger Hunt”

Of course, having fun and eating healthy isn’t always about what happens at the dinner table or in the kitchen. If you really want to change your family culture and put an emphasis on eating better, make the process fun no matter where you are. One of the easiest and most effective ways of doing this, according to KidsPeace, is by turning grocery shopping into a family scavenger hunt. To do this, simply break down your shopping list into sections and have your family pair off into groups. Whichever group finishes their healthy shopping first wins! Naturally, you don’t want your children running around the store unattended, so make sure you and your spouse or a trusted adult come along to help keep the fun safe.

About the Author

Mom of two daughters and a foodie by nature, Anna Bremer’s love of cooking has been instilled upon her children from day one. She is passionate about including children in meal prep, and firmly backs the idea that a family dinner is imperative. When she’s not dabbling in the kitchen, she is also a freelance writer and mommy blogger for Curious Chef products.

Anna Bremer
Anna Bremer was born and raised in Minnesota. The eldest of five, she always took on a more motherly role for her siblings. Helping raise them inspired Bremer to become a school teacher. She received a teaching degree from the University of Minnesota, and taught kindergarten for a number of years before settling down with her husband in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She is now a mother to two beautiful daughters, aged 8 and 10. Despite being a full time mother, Bremer is still able to focus on her hobbies. A foodie by nature, her love of cooking has been instilled upon her children from day one. Bremer is passionate about including your children in your meal prep, and firmly backs the idea that a family dinner is imperative. When she's not dabbling in the kitchen, she is also a freelance writer and mommy blogger for Curious Chef products.