While I was getting them to eat more fruits and veggies. I started to slowly but surely cut back on the cookies, chips, fruit snacks and other not as healthy snacks. Don't look at eating healthier as a family like you are taking away the sweets look at it as I am providing yourself and family with even better nutritious, delicious options instead. As you eat more of the healthy stuff and less of the processed junk
I am often asked how I got my family to eat more fruits and veggies and less processed junk Food! The answer is much easier then people think. It's not bribery or trickery. It's preparation and presentation. I made the rule for my kids that the Kitchen closed after dinner and opens at breakfast time but the fruit bowl is always open. So if they wanted a snack after dinner or before breakfast the fruit bowl was the place to look for a sweet treat. We where off to a good start! The kids liked the idea of it and the fruit bowl was seeing a lot of new activity. I was sure to keep the family favorites, bananas and mandarin oranges on hand. They are tasty but also super easy for kids to peel. I also tried to add in new different fruits every week. Some wee the bowl has peaches, plums and pears, other weeks it will have kiwis, apples, and mango. Of course its dependent on what is in season, on sale or delivered in my Misfit Foods delivery each week. I think the variety and occasional new fruits to try kept things new and exciting.
Sometimes fruit would go bad but to prevent that I started the routine of cutting up fruits and veggies that were the ripest and I started putting out what I call a fruit and vegetable displays. Some days I served them party platter trays, most days I served them right off the cutting mats and on special occasions the kids and I have even made our own edible arrangement.
We made this editable arrangement with Fruit and Vegetable cutters!
Having them washed, cut and ready to grab and eat as an morning or afternoon snack was a game changer. With the fruit and vegetables out on the counter or table in plain site we just got into the habit of grabbing for whatever I had put out on the fruit and veggie board first before looking for something else sweet to eat. I even found myself and my husband eating more fruit. That's another thing. If your kids see you eating fruits and vegetables they are more likely to give it a try. Lead by example and the whole families health will benefit.
While I was getting them to eat more fruits and veggies. I started to slowly but surely cut back on the cookies, chips, fruit snacks and other not as healthy snacks. Don't look at eating healthier as a family like you are taking away the sweets look at it as I am providing yourself and family with even better more nutritious and delicious options instead. As you eat more of the healthy stuff and less of the processed junk your taste buds start to change and before you know it you may just find yourself preferring the fruits and veggies more then the candy, cookies, chips and other processed snacks.
So that's how I did it. That's how I got myself and my family to eat fruits and vegetables. Although I can't take all the credit Fruit is delicious and I am told by my kids as long as their is a dip option vegetables are too. Give it a try and let me know if it works for you and your family!