I try my best to make healthy choices for my kids. That includes making them eat vegetables and fruit every day, making them sit at the table for meals, brush their teeth, and go to bed on time. Of course their favorite food is still jelly beans and ice cream, they are never tired at bedtime and I am the meanest mommy ‘EVER!’ because I make them eat asparagus . . .I have normal kids!
I am very consistent with table manners and dessert. You sit at the family table for dinner every night until we are all finished, you do not play with your food and you don’t get dessert (or your Dad’s IronKids gummy vitamins!) if you don’t finish your dinner. It all gets pretty boring and repetitive around here. I get tired of hearing myself say the same thing at every meal and I can imagine how the kids feel . . they likely tuned me out years ago!
In order to balance my desire to have them eat healthy food, with their desire to eat chocolate for dinner I make sure we fit in time for Fun . . .With Food!
I started a new tradition a few years ago to liven things up a bit and get the kids on my good side. I told them they are ALLOWED to play with their food! My husband thought I was crazy, but the kids are loving it.
Its messy and its gross, but its also tasty and its right at the top of every kids Fun list!
How do we have fun with food? I get out our inexpensive large plastic trays that have a nice tall edge, we wash our hands really well and we get creative. A little chocolate pudding, mix in some vanilla pudding – with your hands of course – add some whip cream, jello, maybe sprinkles? Anything goes. They love mixing it up and licking it off! We’ve done ice cream with chocolate sauce and I hand out straws to slurp up the melted finished product.
We have even brought in a tray full of snow from outside. I give them some small cups to make little snow forts on their trays and some food colouring to turn it colours . . they play til it melts and then we go get more from outside.
I am hoping my healthy kids always find ways to enjoy food . . . because its not just for eating you know!
How do you and the kids have fun with food?
One Response to Fun With Food!
Love this! I used to play with my food as a kid (sometimes I still do
We try to make meal time as fun as we can, we always start with a round up where we each get to tell everyone 1 favorite story from our day. I also try to always make sure to have atleast 1 of the kids favorite fruits or veggies on hand.
I don’t like forcing them to eat a certain amount but fun games like chomp your veggies like a dinosaur always seem to work!