Parenting Toddlers
Tasty Treats
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A Dozen Ways to Get Kids to Try New Foods
submitted by Cathy (TJsChick)
1. One step at a time: Offer just one new food at a time. Let your child know in advance if it is sweet, salty, sour etc.
2. A taste is just a taste: Let your child decide the amount to try. A taste can be as small as a half teaspoon.
3. What goes in may come out, and that's ok: Recent studies indicate young children are more likely to try a new food if they have the option of not swallowing it. Show children how to carefully spit food into a napkin if they decide they don't want to swallow it.
4. If at first you don't succeed, try again: Many young children must be offered a food 8 - 10 times before they will try it, according to recent research. Continue to offer a new food ... eventually they are likely to give it a try.
5. Be a role model: Imitation is a powerful force in learning. If you want children to drink milk, make sure they see you drinking milk as well.
6. Capitalize on "food tasting peers": To encourage a reluctant taster, have him or sit with friends or siblings that are good tasters when you introduce a new food.
7. Serve an unfamiliar food with familiar ones: It increases the likelihood that a child will tasted the new food. For example, use pudding as a dip for trying pineapple spears or kiwi slices.
8. Colour and texture make a difference: Children prefer bright colours and interesting textures. Crunchy fruits and smooth pudding make a nice contrast. The bright colour of red and yellow bell peppers may entice them to taste.
9. Involve children in the preparation: Children are more likely to try a food they have helped to prepare. Even young children can help stir, mash, pour and measure.
10. You can lead them to a new food, but you can't make them eat: Never force a child to try a food. Offer it. If it is not eaten, simply take the food away and present it again at a different time.
11. Present the food pyramid: Offer new foods from all five groups of the Food Guide. Include items from: dairy, meat & protein, fruits, vegetables, and grains.
12. Lessons from literature: Read stories about food to your children. They be more likely to try a food that has been introduced in a story.
Five Foods You and Your Child Should Eat Every Day
by Sue Gilbert, M.S., Nutritionist
The wider the variety of the foods you eat, the better chance you have to get all the nutrients needed for good health. But there are some foods with such a strong link to disease prevention and a wealth of nutrients that it makes sense to eat them every day.
Oranges (or orange juice): A great source of folic acid, fiber, antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C, and anti-cancer compounds flavonoids and carotenoids. Drink fresh orange juice, eat fresh oranges for snacks, make fruit salad with oranges, toss peeled orange sections into a spinach salad.
Dark Leafy Greens: Full of anti-cancer compounds, vitamins and minerals. Contains folic acid to help prevent neural-tube birth defects, antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C, fiber, and anti-cancer compounds beta-carotene and lutein. Try spinach, collard greens, kale, turnip greens. Eat raw or lightly cooked. Use in salads and stir-fry.
Bran Cereal (or other rich source of wheat bran): Prevents constipation, is a potent anti-cancer agent, prevents polyps, may fight breast cancer by diminishing estrogen supplies. Mix in with your other cereals, make bran muffins, sprinkle on salads, mix into casseroles, even eat out of hand with a mix of raisins and nuts.
Yogurt (low fat, with live cultures): Supplies calcium to prevent osteoporosis, boosts immune function, fights bacteria, has anti-cancer properties, may prevent yeast infections. Make fruit and yogurt smoothies,
top vanilla yogurt with fresh fruit and granola, use on baked potatoes instead of sour cream.
Soy: Contains phyto-estrogens that may help relieve hot flashes and fight osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, anti-cancer activity may be antagonistic to breast cancer, source of high-quality protein. Eat as tofu, tempeh, soymilk or boiled soybeans. Add tofu to stir-fry, grill tempeh instead of burgers, use soybeans instead of pintos for refried beans. Add chilled cooked soybeans to salads, make bean soup with soybeans, use soymilk instead of cow's milk on cereal.
18 Reasons to Eat Yogurt
by Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE
As an exchange student to Germany in the summer of 1974 I remember eating a strange white and tangy substance. It was my first exposure to yogurt. Although many of us had never experienced yogurt in the 1970s, today the average American consumes five pounds of yogurt per person each year! Yet Europeans eat twice as much yogurt. Perhaps we should take a tip from across the ocean.
Nutritional benefits of yogurt
~ rich in protein (8 grams per cup)
~ good source of calcium (plain yogurt has 400 mg per cup -- more than one cup of skim milk)
~ contains as much potassium as a banana
~ excellent source of the B vitamin riboflavin
~ improves lactose (the carbohydrate in dairy products) digestion by aiding production of the enzyme lactase
~ active cultures present in some types of yogurt protect against diarrhea and are helpful in strengthening the immune system
~ may help reduce risk of colon and breast cancer by improving our immune system defenses
How to select the most nutritious yogurt
~ Steer away from sprinkles and bright colors and opt instead for these important items:
~ The carton should clearly indicate the yogurt contains "live and active" cultures such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidus. These types of cultures help keep our digestive systems strong and healthy.
~ Look for at least 300 mg calcium per serving.
~ Choose yogurt that contains the least amount of added sugars. Typically these brands will contain no more than 250 calories per serving.
~ Pay attention to expiration dates, since the amount of beneficial active cultures decrease after that.
Yogurt tastes good any time of day
~ Sprinkle flavored yogurt with sunflower seeds, chopped nuts or wheat germ for a pleasant crunch.
~ Add chopped fresh fruit to plain yogurt. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup to satisfy your sweet tooth.
~ Top low-fat granola cereal with yogurt instead of milk for a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack.
~ Pack yogurt in lunch containers for a great noontime treat.
~ Use nonfat plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise or sour cream in dressings and salads.
~ For a creamier texture, drain the yogurt overnight in a coffee filter over a measuring cup. The leftover liquid can be used in breads,soups, or sauces.
~ Use plain nonfat yogurt to top microwave chicken or fish for a moist and flavorful entree.
~ Layer vanilla yogurt with fresh fruit for a delicious dessert.
