Nutrition for Picky Eaters

Adventurous eating tends to lead to better nutrition, but unfortunately, not everyone is open to trying new foods.  Picky eaters often miss out on many essential nutrients because they are scared to deviate from their favorite comfort foods.  It can be a challenge to introduce healthy fruits and vegetables into a picky eater’s diet.  Luckily, we have a few tips to help you incorporate healthier ingredients into your picky eater’s diet- and make sure their diet is just as healthy as adventurous eaters!  

Add Fruits and Vegetables to Their Favorite Dishes

A great way to introduce healthier foods into a picky eater’s diet is to add them to a dish they already know and love!  Add vegetables to classic mac and cheese or put sliced banana on their PB&J sandwich!  This blog has some great picky eater-friendly recipes.  Adding fruits and vegetables to a familiar dish will make them seem less daunting, and who knows? Maybe your picky eater will discover a new favorite (and healthy) ingredient! 

Make Healthy Substitutions

If adding fruits and vegetables into their favorite foods isn’t working out, make healthier versions of your picky eater’s comfort foods!  There are tons of healthy substitutions you can make in recipes to lower the fat and sugar while raising the level of nutrients.  Some are simple like switching white bread for wheat, and others are a little more out-of-the-box like using applesauce instead of butter when baking.  This website has a list of creative substitutions that are so delicious, your picky eater won’t even notice a difference!

Get Their Help in the Kitchen

A greatway to get picky eaters to eat what you make is to have their help and input while cooking it!  Before you get cooking, set up some ground rules about how many fruits and/or vegetables the meal will have.  Compromise with your picky eater and let them choose which fruits and vegetables will be included. This way, not only will they eat the healthier ingredients in the dish, but, they will actually enjoy them!  Get creative and have fun with it!  The two of you might even concoct a brand new favorite recipe!

Give them Juice Plus+

One of the easiest ways to get picky eaters all the nutrients they need is to give them Juice Plus+!  Taking Juice Plus+ daily provides the body with whole-food-based nutrition it needs to function best. Plus, it’s simple to add Juice Plus+ to your diet in its easy-to-take capsule form. If the capsules are too scary for picky eaters, they can always try the tasty chewables (perfect for kids!). As, former US Olympic swimmer, Ariana Kukors said at our recent Google+ Hangout, “When my mom introduced me to Juice Plus+, it was really something that made a massive difference!”  If an elite athlete can benefit from all the nutrients of Juice Plus+, your picky eater can too! 

Have you tried any of these tips? Share your success stories in the comments!

Sources:

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/everyday-menus/vegetable-recipes-for-kids
http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/03/top-10-food-substitutions-for-healthier-cooking/slide/applesauce-for-oil-butter-or-sugar/