What to do when your kids won't eat the healthy food you've prepared?

I know how important this is, we all want to be able to make one meal, and know that everyone will eat it.

Let's say dinner calls for chicken breast and mashed potato and broccoli, and your kids won't eat it.

I swear, my kids go through phases. Emma will have a phase where veggies are her favourite and she'll love her lettuce, broccoli and mushrooms. Two weeks later, she'll think that those are the yuckiest foods on the planet!

You need to be patient, but I also have a two bites rule. Meaning, my kids need to take at least two bites. When they were little we'd do things like "look at the plane".....and make the sounds effects and then do the crazy dance until they guzzled it down :)

However, now that they are older, if they won't take their two bites, they will lose certain privileges for the night, no tv etc.

My daughter Julia will sit at the table all night long, because she doesn't want to give in.

It will take some time to get your kids to eat healthy food. Try to phase them into it rather than doing a whole plate of healthy foods at once.

Use the ideas in the RECIPES Sections and scale them down for them.

I think the recipes we have for you all taste pretty great, I don't think your family will turn their noses up for those!

But I am flexible with my children and change certain things up like use spaghetti and rice. Sometimes I do also give them fish fingers and similar. But I don't make this my "go to", and it certainly isn't 'the norm'.

It is certainly not easy, but WORTH IT.

My partner and I both understand how important healthy food is and we eat this way 70% of the time.

Maybe start with making spaghetti recipes, and sneak in some bell peppers into the sauce.

I use to make smoothies in summertime and add spinach and avocado but because I added extra banana and strawberries they wouldn't notice. Now they know and are ok with it!

You can even shred some zucchini and add it into hamburger patties, which in turn gives you more patties, and your kids can never tell if you grate it really fine!

Just let them know that you will not back down and they will eat healthy over time!!

GOOD LUCK!

Maybe this helps you too - who knows!

I hope your kids will get on board too!

Keep going, your body, mind and soul will thank you!

Natalie x