How to Teach Kids About Healthy Foods Through Cooking

How to Teach Kids About Healthy Foods Through Cooking

Sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy, there is an endless amount of delicious food choices that are just as flavorful as they are nutritious. With hundreds of appealing food advertisements targeted toward kids, children are approached with appetizing processed foods daily. Invite your small chefs into the kitchen at an early age to teach them how palatable healthy food is. By expanding their knowledge of whole foods, they'll be more willing to adopt a healthy lifestyle and make healthy choices, even when you're not around! We're not saying that you should feed your child a plate full of green veggies every day, but we do believe that there are several ways you can incorporate real foods into your children's meals without skimping on the flavor. If you're exploring ways to make healthy foods more enticing to your young eaters and want to invite your kids into the kitchen, we're here to help. Keep reading to discover some of the best tips and tricks to getting kids to eat and enjoy healthy foods.

Teach Children They Are What They Eat

It's essential to teach your children from a young age that food is the fuel their body uses for energy. To do so, clearly explain how eating quality foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains will keep them feeling energized and strong. Educating children on which foods are healthy and which are processed will help them understand that every food choice they make affects their health. By reinforcing this process of thought, your children will start to make healthier choices even when unhealthy options are presented.

Be a Healthy Role Model

How to Teach Kids About Healthy Foods Through Cooking | Bob's Red Mill Blog Setting a good example for your children can help make healthy food choices easier. Getting creative and making deliciously healthy meals is a great way to exemplify how tasty, healthy eating can be. Use flavorful recipes like these Five-Ingredient Zucchini Fritters and this Green Machine Smoothie to incorporate wholesome foods into your child's daily regime.

Motivate Them to Eat Healthily

Use motivation tools to help get your children excited about healthy eating. By making healthy eating fun, your child will be more willing to try new, wholesome foods. Rewards like their favorite (healthy) dessert, or allowing them to choose one of next week's dinners, will motivate them and give them more responsibility. Looking for a healthy dessert recipe to surprise your little ones with? Try out these Healthy Thumbprint Cookies!

Keep Processed Foods to a Minimum

How to Teach Kids About Healthy Foods Through Cooking | Bob's Red Mill Blog When restocking your pantry, focus on purchasing healthy, natural foods and keep the processed foods to a minimum. While it may be tempting to buy pre-made snacks and drinks, these foods are often high in sugar and artificial ingredients. If your kids love snacking, use recipes like this Homemade Granola Recipe to create at-home kid-friendly snacks.

Grow a Garden (Or Take a Class)

Planting whole fruits and veggies in an at-home garden is an excellent way to get your kids excited about healthy food. Plus, gardening is a fun activity that will allow you to spend more time as a family. By gardening with your children, you'll get to watch them learn and develop while they watch veggies grow right before their eyes. If you don't have space to have an at-home garden, try getting your kids involved in a class. Teaching children how to grow their favorite foods is an essential part of their understanding of natural foods.

Make Grocery Shopping Fun

Before heading out to the grocery store, review your shopping list with your little ones, and highlight the healthiest foods on the list. Give your children more responsibility by separating the list into groups. Then choose specific whole foods that they can pick out as your shopping. Including your children in the shopping process will help them learn where healthy foods are located and how they can be combined to create delicious meals.

Invite Your Children Into the Kitchen

Lastly, teach your children how to cook! Including your little chefs in the planning, preparation and cooking process is an excellent opportunity to teach them while also having fun. Incorporating new foods and flavors will encourage them to try new things. Plus, they'll learn other valuable skills like math and science at the same time. How to Teach Kids About Healthy Foods Through Cooking | Bob's Red Mill Blog When inviting your little ones into the kitchen, make sure you're cooking up something that they'll enjoy. Let your kids look through a batch of mom-approved recipes and choose which one they want to make. Who knows, you might have the next top chef on your hands! Cooking with your kids is quite literally what you "bake" of it. From creating savory dinners like Paleo BBQ Chicken Pizza to choosing healthy ingredients at the supermarket, there are several ways you can teach your child about healthy foods through cooking. Use this list of tips in tricks the next time your brainstorming creative ways to help your kids make healthy food choices.
Bob's Red Mill
June 29 2020

Comments

Bob's Red Mill Logo

Our Company

Customer Support

FAQ
Join our table

Get baking tips, exclusive offers and other things straight to your inbox.

Connect with Us
© 1978-2025 Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods
Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Notice Do not sell or share my info Manage Preferences