Tips on Tuesday- Tricks to getting kids to eat!

I thought of this topic yesterday before I made dinner. I planned on making zucchini and lean turkey meatballs for dinner. Amara is not a fan of zucchini and the meatballs are hit or miss since I never make them the same way each week. I asked her to help me make dinner. She was very excited to help, especially with the meatballs. I don't really follow any type of recipe for these. I just got a bunch of seasonings on the counter, an egg and some wheat germ and let her go to town. She had a lot of fun sprinkling this and that in the raw turkey. She was not sure about mixing the meat, but once she got her little hands in there she was sure that she liked it; although she asked that we might pick up some " cooking gloves like they use on The Food Network." Of course. Her favorite part by far was shaping the meat into balls. The zucchini was fun for her too I think. She got to sprinkle seasoning on the slices and I also let her put them in the pan and move them around with the spoon. It might have taken a little longer than I usually take to prepare dinner, but that's just fine. She had a great time ( so did I), and she was very proud of herself. She ate every bite of dinner too. No prompting by mom or dad either!

I also used this opportunity to teach her some kitchen safety and kitchen hygiene . We washed our hands so many times I lost count. And she did not burn herself, even when she stuck her hand in the pan to turn the zucchini over (Ooops!--lesson learned!).

Tips on Tuesday-What's so good about EVOO??

There are a lot of types of olive oil out there. I don't mean brand names though. Extra Virgin, Virgin regular, Extra olive, Extra oil...you get the picture.

Scientists have found that the compounds in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) may block a protein that encourages breast tumor growth. Sounds good to me! EVOO is usually the most expensive of the bunch, but the extra cash is probably worth the benefits. Rachael Ray swears by this stuff! As annoying as she can be; she has some killer recipes that are easy to make!

EVOO is also more flavorful then the rest because it is the least processed. It comes the very first pressing of the olives so it keeps a higher amount of the great antioxidants called lignans than the pure, light, or virgin varieties. To get the most out of your EVOO, seal the bottle tightly after use and store in a cool, dark place.

Super Simple EVOO Dressing Recipe:

Whisk EVOO + the vinegar (equal parts) +1 tbsp. Dijon mustard + some black pepper & fine sea salt (to taste) and, if desired, some minced garlic, red onion, scallion and/or shallot.

For added sweetness, a spoonful of concentrated OJ and honey is good too......

**How much you use of each ingredient depends on how much you want to make.** I am not known for my measuring!

Tips on Tuesday- How to order healthier foods when eating out (KIDS!)

Even though we do not dine out often, it's still helpful to know what the best options for our kids are when we do. I know that sometimes we treat the meal out as a junk meal anyway, but sometimes we have to eat out more than once and week and that's not an option. Amara's favorite things to get out are Mac and cheese, grilled cheese and fries. Those are one of the worst things on the list of things to stay away from. The fat content to to mention the saturated fat are sky high and I always feel guilty about it. Not only on the day she eats this meal but the day after ( what goes in, must come out). It really does a number on her young tummy! My kids are not used to eating greasy fare day in and day out. With today's child obesity rates on the rise making healthy choices are becoming a must.

Healthier breakfast choices when dining out are whole wheat or multi grain pancakes and toast, fruit, 100% juices, egg white omelette's with veggies, and Canadian bacon

Some good choices for lunch and dinner are grilled chicken, kid sized hamburger, plain steamed vegetables, salad with low fat dressing and pasta with marinara. We sometimes split a dessert between the 4 of us or have a healthier treat at home.

I know it might take some time to get the kids to eat better while in a fun restaurant, but I know that right now for Amara its more about the experience of going with the familythen the actual food she eats!

Tips on Tuesday- Teaching kids to go green

Teach by example! We just started being more earth conscious this year and Amara had followed suite and has taught us some things along the way.

We first started by recycling items. I then bought reusable bags, use natural cleaning supplies, planted an organic garden and lots of other things. Wow..I am impressing myself!

Amara also learns about recycling in school and well as on her cartoons ( those annoying shows are good for something!).

Ways to get the kids involved:

• Let them help sort the recyclables.


• Let them help clean-- a lot of the "green" products are harmless ( just done drink them)


• Let kids help plant the garden and pick the reward. Same with trees and flowers.


• Let them turn the lights off when not in use.


• Let your kids pick out some toys and take them to Good Will

We have done most of the the things on the list, but are ready to add more things. What things are you doing to get your kids involved in Green living I would love to hear about it!

Tips on Tuesday- Fruits, vegetables and the kids that don't want them!

I am trying to have a daily theme...we will see how long I can keep that up!!

Nutrition is very near and dear to my family. We strive to teach the kids about healthy eating without being overly neurotic about it. We are looking for the balance of healthy foods and not so healthy stuff. I know that if we are too restrictive ( as my single parent dad was...my first taste of sugar cereal was in the 6th grade at a friends house) it could backfire. On the flip -side if we are too leiniet with goodies the kids will get the wrong idea as well. Finding the middle ground is very important to us.

Miles is 20 months and eats just about anything you put in front of him. So far so good. I know his habits will change, but it's nice that he is not picky.

5 year old Amara is another story all together! She knows what she likes and thinks she knows what she does not like! She likes green veggies; broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce, green beans and fresh asparagus. She is not too keen on carrots or anything in the squash family! Her tastes have changed through the years. She now likes strawberries and bananas. She normally gets 2 fruits and 2 veggies a day; along with a half serving of 100% fruit juice.

Some tips I can offer to help make mealtime less stressful. We have done or still do these things for Amara.

Giving her the veggies before the main course.

Letting her pick out what fruit/veggie we eat for dinner. ( letting her choose between 2 foods)

Letting her pick the seasoning for her veggies.

Giving her a dip for her carrots--works every time! I also let her count out the carrots-- she has eaten 10 baby carrots at one meal before!

Incorporating fruits in the dessert. This week it has been strawberry shortcake!

When we do get fast food; she eats a serving of veggies before she gets the junk food.

In the end it is up to the caregiver to provide a variety of nutritious foods for their kids and to also be a role model. I guess that means I have to start eating bananas and peas! Yuck! :)

What tips do you have to share? I would love to learn some new tactics!