Make Sure That Your Kids Get Proper Nutrition and Vitamins…Without a Fight
This post was brought to you by alternaVites. All opinions are mine. Contains affiliate link
We all face different challenges with our kids, and if you have more than one child, you know that every child is different. We did just about the same thing in regards to feeding the boys with our older two, and somehow, D is the better eater. He will try almost anything once, loves broccoli, milk, salmon, and kefir, and I feel like he is getting the nutrition and vitamins that his body needs to grow healthy and strong. The Captain, on the other hand, is not likely to try new things, turns up his nose at food often, and would live off of bread and sweets if we let him. I do not want to label him as “picky,” but he is definitely a food snubber.
What happened and why are they so different? I am not sure, so I cannot tell you, in all honesty! We served them both pureed baby foods, both were breastfed and formula fed, both had a sensitivity to milk that they have seemed to grow out of, and they turned out completely different. (While the verdict is still out with Baby Brother, I tried a different approach with him, baby-led weaning, to try to avoid the food snubbing as his oldest brother does. I’ll fill you in when he’s 5. ha!)
With all of that said, I do know that there are holes to fill in my kids’ nutrition needs. The Captain does not like milk at all and I often wonder if he is getting enough calcium, because really, he does not eat ice cream often enough to meet his daily needs. *smile*
We tried the whole gummy vitamin thing, but one pediatrician told me that those are “useless” because they could never contain all the vitamins and minerals kids need. And if we are being honest here, if it isn’t a gummy, the Captain isn’t taking it. So what is the solution here?
I have found a few things that have really helped me feel better about whether or not he is getting what he needs.
1. Mix In liquid KIDS Vitamins
The Captain won’t touch the chalky chewables and the gummies are not good for teeth and likely don’t contain what kids really need anyway. These vitamins can be taken alone, mixed into yogurt, smoothies, or any other food or drink, sprinkled on fruit, or anything! They contain no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colors, and they’re kid approved!
2. Healthy Snacks
Instead of reaching for empty calorie snacks like chips or cookies after school, have better for you snacks available. It doesn’t take much more time or effort, and you could change it up to fit their preferences.
These Almond Oatmeal Breakfast Bites would be perfect for a healthy school snack OR breakfast!
3. Hidden Veggies
There are countless ways to ensure that your kids get their daily serving of vegetables, without them even knowing they are eating vegetables! Really! I made this Baked Spaghetti with Hidden Veggies a few years ago. Almost any vegetable can be made into a sauce for pasta dishes!
4. Lots of Fruit!
Thankfully my kids LOVE fruit in any form or fashion, but these recipes might make it easier for your kids to get their daily fruit needs met if they’re not so fond of it.
Strawberry Purée Batter Pancakes
5. Teach by Example
I know, I know…sometimes it’s hard to take care of yourself. If your kids see YOU taking your daily vitamins, eating fruits and vegetables, swapping the cookies for a smoothie, exercising, then they will be more likely to do the same. Don’t make it something that they HAVE to do, do it with them. Set an alarm on your phone to remember to take your vitamins together every day. You can take your multivitamin while they take theirs. Or help them think of ways to consume their alternaVites…whether it’s a new smoothie recipe, fruit dip with yogurt, or whatever way they choose.