We’re often asked how we feed our families and let’s start by saying that it’s not always easy and it’s never perfect. So right now, recognize that just by reading this blog you’re an extraordinary parent who wants the best for your kids, so don’t feel guilty about not always being “perfect.”
With kiddos ranging between us from the ages of 11 to 7 months old, combined with the thousands of fellow parents we’ve led through our 14-day Conscious Cleanse program, our experience has taught us that each person is unique (so are our tastebuds!), and ultimately it doesn’t matter what we say to our kids about healthy eating, what matters most is what we do.
Yep, you got it – what you eat, how you eat, how you treat your body, how you feel about your body – raising healthy eaters starts with you.
By modeling an approach to conscious eating and healthy living, we’re not mandating from the mountain top about how it’s going to be, rather we’re leading by example. This approach, of course, takes time. And what’s key is that we are consistent and committed to our own health journey. When we are truly steadfast in our approach, our ways will eventually rub off on our family.
Now, that being said, there are definitely some things you can do today to start getting your family on board right now. Keep a fun and light-hearted approach. Share with them your commitment to yourself first, then pick 1-2 of our tips from the list below. These will get you moving in the right direction without trying to recondition the entire family all at once.
Do your best. Start slowly. Focus on what’s working. And stop comparing yourself to the other parents in the checkout line.
With love and green veggies,
Jo & Jules
5 Tips for Raising Healthy Eaters
- Start your day off right: There’s a reason that conventional wisdom says breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But let’s be real – mornings can be hectic, and that’s putting it nicely. Just like with our cleansers, we like to set our kids up right with a quick and easy meal that loads us up with dark leafy greens. Our favorite is our new Kid-Friendly Very Berry Green Smoothie! Kids love it and parents can feel good knowing that whatever else happens with their kid’s diet today, at least they got in this serving of fruits and vegetables!
- Get your kids involved: From the meal planning, to the grocery shopping, to the chopping, let your kids help! Include them in the conversation about what you’re going to plan for dinners this week. Every grocery store trip is an opportunity to talk about healthy food. Teach your older kids how to read food labels and bust out the ladder for your younger kids so they can help you toss things into a blender or chop veggies.
- If at first you don’t succeed, try again: Kids can be picky eaters! We get it! Remember that their taste buds are developing and changing all the time, so if you whip up a green smoothie that they don’t drink today, try a different recipe tomorrow. Make it fun to expose your kids to new flavors and textures as a regular practice. Kids also love variety, in taste and delivery. Put it on a stick (or make it a popsicle) and you’ll be surprised by what your kids gobble up!
- Be prepared but keep it simple: Eating healthy isn’t hard, but it does take some planning and thinking ahead. Have an arsenal of 4-5 go-to recipes that are easy and delicious and you’re grocery shopping and cooking won’t feel exhausting or all-consuming. No one wants to reinvent the wheel everyday! Some of our favorite family-friendly meals are Curried Carrot Soup, 30-Minute Chicken Meatball Tacos, and Sunshine Bites for snack time. Remember, you don’t have to be perfect and make homemade meals every night – do what works best for your family’s schedule.
- Sit down and eat together: Between school, sports and busy work schedules, we know how challenging it can be to sit down as a family for dinner. But let us tell you, this one ritual can transform your children’s eating habits. Turn off the TV, put the phones away and eat together a couple times per week. Be present with your kids as you eat. Remember you are modeling healthy eating!
To find more clean-eating family-friendly recipes, check out our new cookbook, The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook.
