My Healthy Little Munchkin

Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 10:39

Like most toddlers, our 3-year old, Amy, loves anything that's sweet and falls under the label of "junk food".  But recently I've seen some encouraging signs that my "eat healthy" campaign is starting take affect...

Yesterday while grocery shopping, I made a mental note to pick up some prepackaged snack items for the girls to eat on an upcoming road trip (I usually make their own snacks by putting raisins, crackers, etc., into snack-size bags and bowls).  While meandering down the "munchies" aisle I asked Amy if she wanted some fruit snacks (you know, chopped fruit in individual cups).  She took one look at them and promptly reminded me, "Those have too much sugar, MaMa."    Boy, did my eyes pop open in surprise!!  Since when is too much sugar an issue with a 3-year old!?

Later that evening, after Amy had gotten her bath and was ready for bed, she opened the kitchen pantry door and asked my husband, "Can I have a health snack, Daddy?"  We both had to hide our smiles on that one!

My husband recently commented to me (with some amazement) that Amy always goes for raw broccoli and carrot sticks over the cookies and chips at our church pot-luck dinners.  Not that she doesn't like cookies and chips; but I always try to keep healthy choices readily available for snacks and ever-present at meal times, and Amy just thinks that "yucky stuff" like raw veggies make great munchies!  I know kids who are 3 times (and 10 times) her age who will everything but the broccoli if served broccoli casserole!!  Unfortunately, some parents think that "kids don't like vegetables", so they don't encourage their children to eat them.  For the most part, kids will eat- and learn to like- just what you feed them.  Of course, everyone has a right to like or dislike certian foods more than others; but as a mother, it's my goal to make certain that my children grow up eating- and enjoying- healthy food.  Looks like my plan just might be working.

Untitled Comment

Posted by morningsunshine on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 12:30 - Link

ya know, my kids - 5 & 3 - LOVE salads. I let the 3-yr old gum on the spines of romaine lettuce while we ate when she was a baby, and I am doing the same now. I insist that salad is eaten before the rest of the meal, and my kids really do enjoy the salads now. I have never seen kids the age of mine who like salad, but it is all in the choices you give them!