How to make kids eat healthy food like vegetables and fruits – Healthy snack and lunch recipes that kids will enjoy.

Every year on June 17, we celebrate Eat your Vegetables day! This day is to highlight the importance of vegetables and their nutritional value. It would be a great day to start eating healthy and nutritious food.

Burgers, pizzas, French fries, ice creams and all the other food stuffs that kids love are not always healthy or nutritious for them. Give them chocolate ice cream and they will jump with joy but put a plate full of veggies in front of them and they will run for their life. No kid wants to eat veggies and green leafy food when there’s so much yummy food available. But it’s a parent’s job to make their kids eat healthy and nutritious food. If they won’t eat them directly, find a way to sneak vegetables in their favorite snacks.

Kids are fussy eaters. ‘Mom I don’t like vegetables, I won’t drink milk, fruits are not tasty, I want chocolates!’ These are some of the things kids say to avoid eating healthy food. It’s important to incorporate healthy eating habits in your kids from an early age. Most kids don’t like healthy food because it looks unexciting. So make their food look like fun and something yummy to eat. And most importantly, follow the food guide pyramid. It is meant for your child’s health and nutrition.

Food guide pyramid is an easy way to learn about healthy eating. It has 5 major food group known as

1) Fast food or junk food (0-3 servings) – Chips, chocolates, burgers and such fast foods are included in this group. These should be eaten less.

2) Milk (3-4 servings) - Foods include milk, yogurt and cheese. The key ingredient is calcium, which builds strong teeth and bones.

3) Fruits (2-4 servings) - Fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C, which heals cuts and keeps skin healthy, and fiber, which helps your digestion. So stock up on fruits - fresh fruit, dried fruit, frozen fruit, canned fruit... they're all good!

4) Vegetables (3-5 servings) - Veggies are also great sources of fiber and vitamin A. Just remember that darker colored vegetables, like carrots and broccoli, have more nutrients.
5) Meat (2-3 servings) - Foods include meat (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, pork but not bacon), beans and nuts. This group provides iron and protein, which gives you strong muscles.

6) Grains (6-11 servings) - This food group gives you energy because it contains carbohydrates. Includes breads, cereals, rice and pasta.

Make healthy food interesting with these fun videos. When kids are given veggies with their favorite snacks, they hardly make a fuss. These easy to make snacks are tasty, healthy and oh so yummy!