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5 Sneaky ways to Boost Your Kid's Nutrition

Posted Tue, May 15, 2007, 9:41 pm PDT
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Constantly wondering how to get your kids to eat healthier food? Wonder no more. All it takes is a little parental slight of hand and finicky eaters will enthusiastically devour their omega-3 oils, legumes, nuts, and even veggies.

Is it worth it? You bet. By making simple changes now, you'll help your kids avoid obesity, heart disease, and diabetes later, says pediatrician Jennifer Trachtenberg, MD, author of Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children. We're all on board with that, right? And it's never too soon. The American Heart Association urges parents to focus on healthy eating habits in kids as young as 2. Yes, 2.

Here are five sneaky ideas to boost the nutrition in everyday favorite foods. Just think, no more begging and bribery. And no more food pushed around the plate en route to the garbage can.

Smoothies: All kids, toddlers to teens, love smoothies, and lots of parents quietly blend in some soy powder, extra fresh or frozen fruit, and antioxidant-rich dark chocolate to up the nutrients.
Sneaky extra: Add a splash of omega-3-rich flax oil too. They'll never taste it and omega-3s help boost immunity and heart health, fight cancer, and promote brain growth.

Spaghetti sauce: What kid doesn't like spaghetti? If the sauce is based on tomatoes sautéed in olive oil and the pasta's whole wheat, you've already got a healthy dish going.
Sneaky extra: Boost marinara sauce's nutrition by adding minced steamed carrots or even stirring in a jar of pureed baby-food carrots. Your kids will never notice the extra veggies.

Tuna fish salad: Minimize the mayo, add finely chopped celery, and you're off to a good start.
Sneaky extra: Do what smart gourmet markets do to stretch their tuna salad profits: Mash and smash white beans, stir in as if they were mayo, and you've instantly upped the protein and fiber in your child's sandwich.

Chicken nuggets: Breaded chicken pieces are a fave with kids across America but the fast-food versions are a nutritional wasteland. That's easy to fix at home. Just use whole-wheat breadcrumbs and bake, don't fry the chicken. Make big batches and freeze in pint-size portions. 
Sneaky extra: To slip in some more healthy omega-3s, simply mix ground walnuts -- a good source of these good fats -- into the breadcrumbs.

Pancakes: What kid doesn't do backflips for blueberry pancakes? And the super-nutritious berries add vitamins and healthy plant nutrients.
Sneaky extra: Stir some yummy, nutty-tasting ground flaxseed meal (available at any health-food store) into the batter and ramp up the fiber, protein and omega-3 content.

  • 1. Posted by mrslooby on Wed, May 16, 2007, 2:11 pm PDT

    Great tips! love the baby food trick...

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  • 2. Posted by magdalen2 on Wed, May 16, 2007, 10:24 pm PDT

    What a useful article! It's both fun and informative just like they all should be! I'm going to try the spaghetti sauce tip tonight!

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  • 3. Posted by reelhealthy on Wed, May 16, 2007, 11:07 pm PDT

    I like the upbeat tone of the article. It was inspiring and informative. It is such a challenge to figure out ways to get the kids to eat well. Love the idea of being sneaky!

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  • 4. Posted by Elisha Cook Jr. on Thu, May 17, 2007, 12:14 pm PDT

    Lots of good tips in this article. Mostly they were really practical suggestions. In addition they were very informative. More articles like this would be welcome.

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  • 5. Posted by old school on Sun, May 20, 2007, 10:52 am PDT

    I wish I knew all this stuff when my kids were growing up. But now I use these tricks on my husband. He never suspects a thing.

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  • 6. Posted by Taylor B on Sun, May 20, 2007, 5:41 pm PDT

    hi

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  • 7. Posted by CHERISSE L on Mon, May 21, 2007, 12:03 am PDT

    i have a three-year-old and i already started practicing healthy eating habits with her and this article has help add to my list on how to keep it up!

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  • 8. Posted by CHERISSE L on Mon, May 21, 2007, 12:03 am PDT

    i have a three-year-old and i already started practicing healthy eating habits with her and this article has help add to my list on how to keep it up!

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  • 9. Posted by andrewwilson837@btopenworld.com on Mon, May 21, 2007, 12:14 am PDT

    nice one,

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  • 10. Posted by rachenos30 on Tue, May 22, 2007, 9:44 am PDT

    Baby food! Who would have ever thought? Can't wait to try it.

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  • 11. Posted by on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:01 am PDT

    This is a great article. Not only can you do this for your children, but you can also do these things for yourself too!

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  • 12. Posted by illiadrachovna on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:06 am PDT

    We've been putting spinach in our spaghetti sauce for years- just tell 'em it's fresh basil!

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  • 13. Posted by Joan L on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:06 am PDT

    ...swimming...Stay slim little fishes -hardboiled egg Mc D. salad...forget the dressing...yogart pop S nack - go for the high dive

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  • 14. Posted by blue73mgb on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:08 am PDT

    Saute fresh spinach - add to spagetti sauce.....or instead of jarred baby food - make your own by steaming the veggies, use a food processor or blender. Add to anything!! or store in small freezable containers. or try ice cube trays!

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  • 15. Posted by Ismail on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:10 am PDT

    You can also blend frozen chopped spinach into pasta sauce - it doesn't change the flavor and the tomatoes boost the iron absorption of the spinach. Wheat germ is a great thing to sneak into pancakes and banana bread muffins.

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  • 16. Posted by blue73mgb on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:12 am PDT

    I do not recommend baby food. It is not as good for you as the real stuff...anything that can stay on the shelf for years has too much of something OTHER than food...

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  • 17. Posted by Julianna C on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:12 am PDT

    Awesome ideas! I already do the flax seeds in the pancakes for myself and they taste great! I never thought of the baby food in the spaghetti sauce! I would even eat the chicken nuggets with groud walnuts on them! Another excellent article HG!!!

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  • 18. Posted by gold.kitten on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:15 am PDT

    I have two finicky eaters and this was very helpful. Thanks.

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  • 19. Posted by obadiahcreek227 on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:26 am PDT

    Very important ingredients to leave out of any of your summer drinks,(1)sugar, (2) any chemical based artificial sweetner! There are many natural sweetners,one we recently found is AGAVE NECTAR,which is very benificial to DIABETICS type 1 + 2 it is all natural!!!

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  • 20. Posted by alexeulrich24 on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:35 am PDT

    My mom will never know what I put in her lunch now...:P

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  • 21. Posted by harlequinbabe on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:40 am PDT

    a less expensive way to make sure your kids get the extra fiber is to empty psyllium seed caplets into smoothies and sauces rather than flaxseed. it gives them just as much fiber and less money out of your pocket. you can find it at any GNC. also, with spaghetti sauce, cooked carrots, spinach, and tricolor peppers will dissipate into the sauce if you let it cook long enough and the kids will never taste it.

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  • 22. Posted by sqirl78 on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:40 am PDT

    I like to make my own chicken nuggets and the kids love them too.

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  • 23. Posted by ann c on Tue, May 22, 2007, 10:56 am PDT

    wow! I never thought of the baby food trick . Thanks for the great idea.

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  • 24. Posted by novaraen@sbcglobal.net on Tue, May 22, 2007, 11:23 am PDT

    Yep...using the pureed baby veggies has really helped me give my kids the nutrition they need. sneaking it into foods is a great idea too!!

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  • 25. Posted by allisonparrott on Tue, May 22, 2007, 11:36 am PDT

    we make our own chicken nuggets and add in apples, onions and sometimes carrots then crush up whole grain baked chips (for extra taste use seasoned ones) for the breading- they are always a hit! also, make up smoothies and then freeze for popsicles! kids feel like they are really getting a special treat!

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  • 26. Posted by Monica W on Tue, May 22, 2007, 11:40 am PDT

    Another way to get kids to eat whole grains is through a product I have discovered: Grateful Ed's Roasted Buckwheat Pancakes w/ whole grains www.gratefuleds.com. Yummy, unique flavor our kids can't get enough of.

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  • 27. Posted by Scott T on Tue, May 22, 2007, 2:29 pm PDT

    Bring it on Krispy Kreme, Alright Dairy Queen, Cool Fatburger where is one, Good show Starbucks... but all you fatty's should probably avoid these, but hey I ain't fat ha ha...

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  • 28. Posted by krisalymac on Tue, May 22, 2007, 4:53 pm PDT

    I have one daughter that is hard to please. I've also used sugar free pudding with low fat milk and protein powder to get her protein in

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  • 29. Posted by Carrie on Tue, May 22, 2007, 7:45 pm PDT

    I'm no expert, but I don't think the term is 'slight' of hand. Is is 'sleight' of hand? I'm not sure, but maybe someone else knows.

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  • 30. Posted by Maftuna A on Wed, May 23, 2007, 9:49 am PDT

    I think we should all start early with our babies and instill in them the tastes of healthy foods. I personally don't like "sneaking" in stuff into my baby's food. Since it's too late for my hubby, I might try this on him :)

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