How to Subtly Sneak Essential Nutrients into your Child’s Food

Good nutrition is vital to keeping the immune system strong, the body working optimally and your weight under control.  Unfortunately, our little ones do not fully grasp the importance of a well-balanced diet and may refuse to eat the good stuff which can make back ­­­­to school lunches, or any meal, a big source of stress for parents.  However, there are some simple ways to sneak your children nutritious foods.

1.   Swap out regular wheat-based pastas for a quinoa, chickpea, or bean pasta.  All are high in protein and come in different shapes.  
While the texture is different, if the sauce or cheese is what they love, you may get away with it.  

2.   Speaking of sauce, try blending carrots or pumpkin puree in with your tomatoes.  Both will naturally thicken your sauce and the carrots 
will offer a sweetness to it, reducing acidity.  Another great addition to your Sunday dinner is nutritional yeast.  Two tablespoons of this powerhouse ingredient contains 9 grams of protein!  The flavor is mild enough to go unnoticed, so you can try adding it to salads, sauces or even mac and cheese.

3.   Make smoothies.  
Let the kids pick their favorite smoothie ingredients: berries, bananas, manuka honey, peanut butter, or even a small scoop of frozen yogurt.  Then, while you are making it, you can add in a cup of spinach, a tablespoon of oats or even a little protein powder.  The vibrant berry colors will hide the green from the spinach, and the chosen ingredients will mask the flavor of the rest.

4.  Replace unobserved items.  Change your usual butter for flaxseed or a coconut based spread. Choose apple cider vinegar over white vinegar, and avocado or grapeseed oil over vegetable oil. Swap out sugary syrups for real, organic maple or agave, and  juice boxes for water based, flavored drinks. 
 
5.   Add extra ingredients into your staples.
With the right recipes, kids will still enjoy eating their favorite foods. They won’t even know their crepes, muffins, waffles, cupcakes and pancakes are protein packed with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or avocado.  You know what else makes these foods healthier?  Berries, bananas and nuts!  
You can find tons of kid friendly recipes like this on Pinterest.