If you give kids the option between cucumbers and candy, it’s no secret what their choice is going to be. I know I’m not alone in having littles who are less than enthused about anything green or “clean,” but as a certified nutrition coach and momma of two, I am constantly trying to find the balance.
What if we could make their favorite fun foods but in a smarter way?
Here are my top four simple swaps:
Instead of pizza rolls, try bagel thin pizzas. Take bagel thin halves and add sauce, cheese and their favorite toppings. Now just throw them in the oven or you can even air fry them. This is especially fun because the kids can get creative and help make their own! My favorite bagel thins are Thomas brand that you can get at almost any grocery store. They are a good source of fiber and have some bonus protein, too.
Instead of cookies, make these no-bake cookie bites. All the taste of chocolate chip cookies that kids love but without dairy, butter, gluten or an oven. The sky is the limit when it comes to all of the mix-ins you can add. Frequent favorites in my house are white chocolate chips, nuts and raisins. Little hands will love stirring up all the ingredients with you and rolling them into balls. Just make sure you hide a few for yourself before they’re all gobbled up! Find the recipe I love to use at delightfulmomfood.com.
Instead of ice cream, try zucchini ice cream. Sound too good to be true? That was my thought exactly but this ice cream is made from four cups of frozen diced zucchini, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/3 cup allulose/Truvia or sweetener of choice, 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract and 1/2 cup almond milk. Add all ingredients into a blender, scraping the sides occasionally. Freeze. Voila! Ice cream made of veggies. Tip: Top with some sprinkles because we all know sprinkles make everything tastier.
Instead of normal soft tacos, look for high fiber tortillas and sneak some veggies into their taco meat by cooking riced cauliflower with it. This is great because it will add more volume while blending right in. Even the pickiest of kids (or spouses) won’t notice!
Brittany Miles is a Metro Detroit wife, mom and a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Nutrition Coach. Follow her on Instagram @brittmilesxo.
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