With childhood obesity on the rise, it has become even more important to begin teaching children at an early age to enjoy healthy foods in order to promote healthy eating habits in the future.
Introducing preschoolers, children ages three to five years old, to new foods can be difficult, but when parents and caregivers use fun and interesting recipes and games to do so, than the experience becomes enjoyable for everyone.
Recipe Ideas for Healthy Food Choices
Perfect Pizza
- 2 tablespoons (25mL) pizza or pasta sauce
- 1 whole wheat English muffin, tortilla or pita
- ¼ red or green pepper, diced
- 3 mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ cup (50mL) grated mozzarella, cheddar or Parmesan cheese
Spread the sauce on a muffin, tortilla or pita. Next, add the vegetables, sprinkle cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
Sweet Potato Fries
Most children love to eat French fries. However, using sweet potatoes is a healthier option to consider.
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into sticks
- 1 tablespoon (15mL) olive or canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon (1mL) salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon (1mL) dried rosemary (optional)
Toss the sweet potato sticks with the oil, salt and pepper (and rosemary if using some). Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
Snack Attack
Healthy snacks include at least two food groups. Here are some yummy examples:
- Unsweetened cereal and milk
- Cheese cubes with apples slices
- Whole wheat tortillas with hummus
- Pizza slice and juice or milk
- Carrot or bran muffin with juice or milk
Incorporate Games and Songs that Promote Good Nutrition Into Everyday Play
Design Placemats
Cut out pictures of food from magazines or grocery store flyers and categorize each picture according to the four food groups. Get four pieces of paper and label each as:
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Grain Products
- Milk and Alternatives
- Meat and Alternatives
Glue the food pictures in the correct category onto each of the placemats.
Did You Hear What I Hear?
At mealtime or when cooking, explore the different sounds that food make. Some ideas include:
- Popping popcorn
- Crushing crackers
- Whisking eggs
- Crunching apples
Next, talk about other foods that make a sound when eaten.
Food Explorers
Hide a vegetable or fruit in a paper or cloth bag. Ask the child to put his or her hand in the bag and guess what the food is. Use foods with different textures, shapes and sizes. Some examples include:
- Fuzzy (peach, kiwi)
- Smooth (tomato, apple)
- Bumpy (potato, strawberries)
- Long (carrot, cucumber, celery)
Food Songs
Enjoy songs and nursery rhymes about different foods. Visiting the local library to borrow music would make this activity even more fun. Some examples include:
- Pat-a-Cake
- Do You Know the Muffin Man?
- Polly Put the Kettle On
- Apples and Bananas
Using creative ways to celebrate healthy foods will help to ensure that children are happily embracing a healthy lifestyle.
Sources:
Healthy Start for Life by Dietician of Canada, 2009
Active Ideas for Your Kids by Healthy Alberta, 2009
Daniella Grsic - As a wife, mother, educator and business owner, I feel that I have a wealth of knowledge that I am eager to share so that I may inform, ...
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