Keeping Kids In A Healthy Track.

Trying to keep children in a healthy eating track can be very difficult. What they want- sweets, sugary snacks, junk foods etc . Getting them to eat healthy meal, sugar free snacks,  can be very difficult, stressful and time consuming- but ultimately worth it.
Starting the kids early with a variety of healthy recipes helps the child develop into a healthy adult and it also helps the child not to be a picky eater. Children don't like it when new recipe is being introduced. They always want to stick to their old recipes, but we all know is not possible. Remember does old recipes they want to stick with, was once a new recipe. All you need to do is to keep persisting. But i found out that there are some certain food a child will never ever eat no matter how hard you try. I also observed that sometimes kids grow up eating veggies and fruits but at a certain point in their life they stop eating them  for no reason and pick up later.  In our house when i was growing up, my mother tried so much to make me drink oatmeal but it didn't work for her, yet she didn't give up, she persisted to be serving that to me until i started drinking it. Since then  i still enjoy my oatmeal  like never before.

Below are some few tips that helped me introduced veggies and fruits to my kids and hope it works for you:
* Introduce fruits and veggies as early as possible in the child's  life. Especially when is time to introduce solid  after breast feeding. ( mashed/purees)
* Planning meals, cooking with the kids, and buying the food stuffs with them helps by promoting a positive attitude to a healthy diet.
* Prepare the child's favorite meal with lots of vegetables. The child might reject it for the first time, but ends up liking it the second time.
* Do not force the child to eat the meal.
* Avoid spanking/threatening  the child to eat a particular meal
* Try as much as possible to let him/her know how proud you would be if he/she eats the veggies/fruits.
* Allowing kids to eat alone in this issue is not encouraging, is recommended you eat with them in that way it gives them more appetite and joy.
* Always tell them positive stories about veggies/fruits.
* Allow them to get involved  in setting the dinning table.
The kids will make some changes if small goals are set for them, in that way they know how to eat well for good health throughout life. If you have any other tips that worked for your kids, we would love to hear from you.