- When grocery shopping, pass through the produce department first and let everything be a "yes" in that section. It is easier to say "no" as you continue shopping, if the cart is already full and you've already given the green light multiple times on healthy choices.
- If you need to limit the number of yeses in the produce section, let each child pick out at least one veggie and/or a fruit and buy enough of it to share with the family.
- Use a clear bowl or open-sided basket to make a display of fruits and veggies to keep out on the counter or as a centerpiece for the table. It will look so beautiful and appetizing, the kids (and adults) will be drawn to it like fruit flies.
- Keep fruits and veggies in the lower drawers and shelves of the fridge, so that they are easily accessible to the smaller members of the family.
- "Sell" fruit as a dessert and then don't feel guilty for saying yes to dessert every night. Adding heat to fruit brings out a greater natural sweetness, so baked apples or peaches with cinnamon or caramelized bananas make excellent desserts. (It doesn't count if you add sugar and/or butter, though.)
- Kids love to snack (sometimes in place of eating actual meals), so let them snack on fruits and veggies any time they want.
- Make a Half and Half rule. Any time someone fills their plate, they need to have half fruits and/or veggies and half other stuff. This should apply to seconds and thirds, as well.
- Involve the kids in the menu planning and meal preparations. Let them throw together a fruit salad or choose a vegetarian entrée. They will feel a natural affinity for something they helped create.
- On gift giving occasions, give fun, age-appropriate kitchen gadgets, like an apple corer/slicer, a peeler, an avocado slicer, a strawberry stem remover, or a banana slicer. The kids will be thrilled to have their own equipment and will look for opportunities to use them.
- This is probably the most important: Model the behavior you want to see in your children. If your kids see you eating fruits and veggies, they will follow suit.
Summer 2017
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