Love Child Food

I nursed my daughter from the day I gave birth to her in my cozy room at home until she was almost two. She enjoyed steamed broccoli, mashed organic apples and pounded yam, a Nigerian delicacy, as her first foray into cooked foods and by the time she was five, Sushi was her favorite food. The idea that children will only eat chicken nuggets, french fries and pizza is a falsehood. If they are exposed to a variety of healthy and delicious "adult" food from early on and even in the later years, they will love good food above all else. The key is creativity in preparation and presentation. Children love things that are fun and silly; so bright colors and special shapes go a long way in enticing them to eat healthy whole foods. I have a list here of foods that meet a very high standard of wholesomeness and have been kid-tested and approved by my ten year old daughter and her friends. Keep in mind that many of the latest childhood imbalances can be traced back to excessive sugar, gluten, food dyes and dairy in their diets. So, it is well worth the effort to begin introducing healthier alternatives, so our children can experience life from the perspective of a clear, pure, healthy body.

My daughter loves Organic Just Rasberries, a great alternative to sugary candy.

She loves the fresh ones, too and eats them daily as an after school snack.

Of course during sleepovers she and her friends want some exciting and more popular snack options. So I offer this Organic Popcorn which they truly love. Sometimes, I even let them pop it themselves in an airpopper!

 

Another great option instead of standard corn and potato chips is Organic Tortilla Chips with Organic Salsa.

And for a quick and nutritious dinner that my daughter can prepare all by herself, she relishes her favorite vegetarian ravioli pasta. They are made by Rising Moon Organics a small family-run company with a host of gluten free and vegan product options.

For her lunchbox, the most challenging part of all because her meals must past the lunch table test, I put these wholesome items, disguised as treats, together. Organic Granola Bars!

Or Organic Trader Joe's Brown Rice Marshmallow Treats!

And then I make a wrap using a Brown Rice Tortilla, Smoked Wild Salmon and Organic baby tomatoes.

 

And before she leaves home in the morning, I either make oatmeal,

An omelet with these amazingly delicious Organic Free Range Eggs that I buy from a local farmer who does not dye her eggs, so they are multicolored which really appeals to my little one...

Or on more hurried mornings, I give her a choice of these cereals with rice or almond milk, Cascadian Farms Cinnamon Crunch

Or Barbara's Bakery Puffins.

And last but not at all least, a hearty green salad with red, yellow and purple carrots, sprouts, chopped garlic and baby tomatoes. One of these a day for my daughter and I can be assured that she will love the food she eats and  it will love her back.