How to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthier (And Boost Their Immune System!)

• Take your child to the grocery store and have them pick a new vegetable to try.
• Plan at least 5 different fruit and vegetable servings a day.
• Toss minced vegetables into salads, tacos, casseroles, soups and stew.
• Dip finger-sized cut raw vegetables into low fat salad dressings, smashed avocado or nut butter.
• Add diced fruits as a topping.
• Use cookie cutters for fruits and vegetables anytime.
• At breakfast add fruits to pancakes, muffins, oatmeal or dry cereal.
• Add vegetables to burritos, cheese melts and omelets...
• Stick to the "3 bite" rule when offering a new food.
• Use whole grain bread and bread products.
• Read stories of farms and produce to get your child interested in where food comes from.
• Take advantage of "pick your own" produce.
• Start a home garden. Have your child help.
• Have your child assist with meal preparation.
• Take advantage of dried fruits and dried vegetables.
• Additional vegetable suggestions - homemade salsa, guacamole, baked sweet potato wedges.
• Make sandwiches out of thinly sliced apples, "celery boats" and "banana sandwiches".
• Use pureed vegetables as "dipping sauces" such as pureed carrots or avocado.
• Cut raw vegetables into interesting shapes.
• Make "smoothies" with natural, unsweetened yogurt, milk or juice and add fresh and frozen berries.
• If your child has a milk allergy, use green vegetables, beans and almonds, calcium enriched juices, enriched rice milk and black strap molasses for flavoring.
• If your child has a fruit allergy, canned products "denature the allergen" and are generally safer.
• Pay attention to your child's behaviors. When one allergy is present, others could be as well and your child's restlessness, itchiness or even dark circles under their eyes may be additional undiagnosed allergies.
• Be a role model!