Sneak Healthy Food Into Your Kids' Diet

Let’s face it, the path of least resistance is often found in processed foods such as potato chips and macaroni and cheese. However, with childhood obesity on the rise, it’s no surprise that parents are turning to best selling recipe books such as Jessica Seinfeld’s, Deceptively Delicious to help incorporate healthier eating habits into their kids’ diets. We asked three Douglasville moms to share their secrets on getting their children to eat lower-calorie snacks and fresh foods.

Heather Beachy, Douglasville mom to two children

We keep healthy snacks like lower-sugar yogurt tubes, low-fat cheese sticks and lots of fruit where they can reach them. We do have some "sometimes food" in the house, and we like to stress with our kids what is a "sometimes food" and why (thank you Sesame Street!). We also keep those foods out of reach and out of sight - sometimes a kid just wants a treat ASAP. Food shouldn't be labeled "bad," kids just need to learn to respect their health and well-being, and teaching them about food is just a part of that.

Angela Walker, Douglasville mom to two children

I have had much success getting my kids to eat about any fresh fruit or vegetable if there is some sort of accompanying dip. For fresh veggies, I use a refrigerated (non-processed) ranch dressing. As for fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt does the trick. Really, they gobble them up!

Gina Maddox, Douglasville mom to three children

My children love pasta, so I like to sneak in a good variety of veggies with the dish. I also like to make my own homemade sauce so that we they can pass on the preservatives and sugars and get the best nutrition from my meals. My kids favorite dessert are banana pops. First I freeze the bananas and then I dip them in dark chocolate. For us, it’s all about using fresh fruits and vegetables.