Fun: The Secret Ingredient for Getting Kids to Eat Healthy

(ARA) – From friendly clown spokesmen to colorful grab-and-go convenience, fast food has a lot of appeal for kids. Is it any wonder, then, that nearly a third of all American children are overweight and 15 percent outright obese?

Increasingly, health advocates, nutritionists and smart parents are fighting fire with fire by presenting healthy foods in ways that children will find fun and appealing.

“Sure a lot of unhealthy foods taste good, but children also choose these foods because they are perceived as ‘fun,’ ” says Jodi Berg, Marketing Director of Vita-Mix Corporation, a company that has been making kitchen appliances dedicated to healthy eating that’s delicious, fun and easy for over 70 years. “Fun is the secret ingredient that can also get kids to choose foods that are good for them.”

Anne DiCello, MS, RD offers the following tips for presenting healthy foods, like vegetables, unprocessed fruits and whole grains, in fun ways kids will love:

1. “Start healthy habits in the high chair.”

Babies who start out eating healthful foods grow up into adults with a good dietary foundation. Many pediatricians recommend parents make their own baby food, rather than feed infants commercially prepared foods that are often full of water, starch, sugar or meat fillers. Homemade baby food can provide better nutrition at a fraction of the cost.

Preparing baby food is easy. Simply steam or gently cook the healthful ingredients of your choice, from carrots and peas to sweet potatoes, apples or pears, then puree them. For optimum health benefits, puree cooked foods with a little water in a powerful blender like the Vita-Mix Super 5000. The machine breaks the whole fruits and vegetables down to the cellular level, so nutrients are freed--not stripped away. Using the whole vegetable or fruit allows you retain most, if not all, of the food’s original nutrients and fiber.

2. “Turn kids into “smoothie operators.”

There’s no denying that smoothies are strong on the fun factor. Unfortunately, smoothies purchased from an ice cream shop, or packaged ones from a grocery store, often contain excess sugar and preservatives.  Very often, they are made with processed fruit syrups that are missing most of the whole food fiber and nutrients.

Making smoothies at home is a great way to put the nutrition back into this kid-friendly treat. By using fresh whole fruits and your own healthy ingredients, you have total control over the nutritional content. Older kids can get in on the act by helping prepare the ingredients and creating new combinations.

“Smoothies are a great way to get kids to eat both fruits and vegetables,” according to Jodi Berg. “Start out with a healthy base of fresh fruits, and even the most militant anti-veggie toddler won’t be able to taste the squash or carrot you’ve slipped into the smoothie.”

3. Make guilt-free “instant” ice cream that kids, teens and adults can all enjoy.

Rare indeed is the child who does not like ice cream. However, parents abhor the high fat and sugar content that is found in many store-bought brands. Using the Vita-Mix machine, it’s easy to prepare healthful frozen treats in under a minute.  A powerful motor and precision blades turn healthy ingredients like frozen fruit and low fat milk into a soft-serve style ice cream with all the flavor of more fattening fare.

Soups and breads are also great ways to incorporate vegetables into kids’ diets. Whip up a tasty, delicious chicken soup with a healthy base of pureed veggies instead of basic broth. Instead of buying “enriched” white bread, make home made whole grain flour and add cranberries, zucchini, pumpkin and carrots to basic bread recipes.

To learn more about the Vita-Mix and for recipes and ideas on incorporating healthy meals that are also fun into kids’ diets, visit www.vitamix.com/arakids.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Fun makes Healthy Foods Easier for Kids to Digest

 (ARA) – From friendly clown spokesmen to colorful grab-and-go convenience, fast food has a lot of appeal to kids. Is it any wonder, then, that nearly a third of all American children are overweight and 15 percent outright obese?

Increasingly, health advocates, nutritionists and smart parents are fighting fire with fire by presenting healthful foods in ways that children will also find fun and appealing. The Vita-Mix Super 5000 is one kitchen appliance that helps parents prepare “fast, fun food” at home that is both healthy and delicious. Vita-Mix offers the following tips for getting kids to eat healthier:

1. Start healthy habits in the high chair.  Prepare your own baby food using whole fruits, vegetables and grains pureed in a Vita-Mix Super 5000.

2. Make kid-friendly smoothies and other frozen treats at home. Start with a base of fresh fruits and slip in healthy vegetables.

3. Make your own guilt-free low fat ice cream that kids will find just as delicious as the fattening fare.

4.  Make your own whole grain flour and add cranberries, zucchini and carrots to basic bread recipes

To learn more about the Vita-Mix machine and for recipes and ideas on incorporating fun and healthier ingredients into kids’ diets, visit www.vitamix.com/arakids.