Every parent
knows it’s important for their little ones to eat well, but sometimes it’s
easier said than done. Between school, playdates, dance classes, and swimming
lessons—not to mention what you have on your own plate at work and
home—nurturing your children’s palates can wind up on the backburner. Whether
it’s getting your kids to help cook a tasty meal or teaching them about how
carrots help their vision, there are countless ways to give your children the
foundation they need to eat healthfully for the rest of their lives. —
Get Them In
The Kitchen 
The average New
Yorker’s filled-to-the-brim schedule makes all those convenient restaurants
especially tempting, but experts say getting children involved in cooking is
one of the best ways to teach them how to eat, as well as pique their interest
in new foods. “Make it an adventure,” says Jessi Walter, founder of the cooking
classes group Taste Buds. Young children can hunt for ingredients in cupboards,
help stir soups, count noodles and beans going into a dish, or wash fruits and
vegetables. Husking corn is an especially popular summer activity perfect for
young kids. When they get a bit older, introduce them to chopping and other
cooking techniques with a plastic knife. Aside from enjoying some great family
time, the chances of your child trying a new food, be it the cheese they
sliced, the string beans they washed, or the lentils they put in a soup, go up
significantly.
“Cooking is the
number one way to get kids eating healthier,” says Walter. “We find in our
classes all the time that the more kids cook, the likelier they are to eat.
Even if it’s something as simple as basil, you can give them a few leaves to
rip up and they’ll be likelier to eat it later. When they see the green,
they’ll know what it is, and they’ll be proud of themselves for helping prepare
it.”
Shop Till
They Drop
And don’t just
limit them to the kitchen – getting kids involved with grocery shopping will
also get them thinking about food. “I turn food shopping into a game,” says
Tanya Zuckerbrot, creator of the fiber-based F-Factor Diet. “I say ‘Find the
cereal that has 5 grams of fiber or more!’ and then my children rush down the
aisle to find it. In the process, they learn how to read a food label and make
healthful choices.”
Engage kids’
senses by letting them touch and smell produce – it may make a difference
between refusing the unfamiliar asparagus and wanting to buy it to taste it at
home. Jodi Greebel of the kid-friendly meal delivery service DinDins recommends
taking advantage of time spent in the aisles to talk to kids about where food
comes from, what it looks like, and how cooking can change it. You can ask them
how different ingredients grow, what climates they grow in, and what animals
like to eat them. As you shop, emphasize that the closer the food is to being
picked or grown, the better it is for your family to share.
The Choosey
Child
Sometimes even
the most adventurous of young ones go through a picky eating phase. As
stressful as it may be, don’t give up or give in. “The most important thing is
to not get frustrated and keep trying to offer variety, rather than succumb to
what your child only likes to eat. That reinforces the pickiness,” says Lauren
Slayton of FoodTrainers.
While it’s okay
to offer them the stuff they really love, introduce new foods on the table
whenever you can. “Continue presenting the food. Repeat trials can sometimes
give you a breakthrough,” she adds. They may not eat zucchini the first time
it’s placed on the table in front of them, but they might try a bite when you
put it out again a few weeks later.
While it’s
easier said than done, you should also avoid becoming too stressed (or
obsessed) if the kids want to eat the same foods every day. “Don’t judge what
they’re eating by what they eat in day. Judge by what they eat in week,”
Intuition Nutrition founder Tracy Gary says. “I think that people show they’re
concerned and it becomes a power dynamic.”
When your child
does eat well, you can reinforce his or her healthy eating with rewards, like the
opportunity to help with dinner plans or choose a new recipe to buy ingredients
for at the store. At the same time, be sure the dishes they do love to chow
down on are made with the best ingredients around. “If your toddler is on a
pancake kick, use quinoa to make flour and top them with fresh strawberries,” Gary says. Taking a moment to rethink
everyday foods can lead to some great new recipe ideas and additions.
Fit Focus:
Food As Fuel 
Focusing on the
body is another great strategy for getting your kids to think about food as
fuel. Help kids get in tune with their bodies and learn to recognize when they
feel full, what being hungry feels like, and what happens when they eat. Avoid
big words like “nutrition” or “carbohydrates” and talk about how food helps
their bodies grow and stay strong.
“I talk to young
kids and preschoolers about how things work. Kids are interested in it. Kids
understand. If you say, ‘An orange is going to help your boo boo go away
faster,’ that’s so exciting to them,” Slayton says.
While it’s great
to steer your kids toward thinking about how food affects their bodies, it’s crucial
to keep your own relationship with food out of the picture. If you’re keeping
an eye on your weight, there’s no need to mention calorie counting to your
kids. You can, however, encourage them to read ingredient lists to teach them
the difference between real and processed foods.
“It’s important
to try to separate your own thoughts about food and weight from your children,”
says Greebel. “A child needs healthy, nutrient-dense food in order to grow and
really flourish.” So ditch the low-calorie, diet foods when your kids are
around—they shouldn’t be eating them. Ideally, try to eat the same foods you’re
giving your kids. It’s the best way to make sure they have an appropriate
relationship with food.
Raising a kid
with food sense doesn’t have to be overly complicated or rigid. What it comes
down to is gently encouraging a healthy, daily interest in food and cooking.
“In families, having
an open dialogue is best,” says Walter. “Get your child involved.”
Our Top Picks For Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Cooking
Classes, Toys & Games, Cookbooks And Greenmarkets
EAT: The Upper East Side’s Candle Café offers farm-to-table
organic vegan fare, like grilled seitan skewers and pizza made with tapioca
cheese and truffle tomato sauce. For more information, visit candlecafe.com.
LEARN: Offering private at-home cooking
classes, parties for kids and summer cooking camp, Home Cooking New York
teaches essential kitchen skills to children of all ages. Similarly, Taste Buds
has cooking events for families and kids, including semester and holiday
classes, summer camps and birthday parties. For more information, visit
homecookingny.com and tastebudscook.com.
PLAY: With an old-fashioned icebox,
stainless-steel sink and stovetop oven, Pottery Barn’s Kid’s Red Retro Kitchen
Collection is a great way to encourage a playful curiosity in food and cooking.
For more information, visit potterybarnkids.com.
READ: Perfect
for novice cooks, Easy Meals to Cook with Kids: Healthy, Family-Friendly
Recipes from Around the World by Julie Negrin includes many vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free
dishes. For more information, visit julienegrin.com.
SHOP: Visit one of the city’s local markets—from
the one at Union
Square to the 97th Street Greenmarket—for delicious offerings and
to spark your child’s culinary curiosity. For more information, visit
grownyc.org.
Photo credits: Taste Buds
