Clean Eating for kids

Are you interested in incorporating clean eating for your kids? You have found the right place! I have successfully made this transition for our three boys, and I am here to show you how we did it.

We all know that children can be some of the pickiest eaters on the planet. I consider us fortunate that we started this journey when they were reasonably young. By now, I don’t think they know any different. With that being said, they do have Halloween parties, Christmas parties, and birthdays at public school. This is truly when I cringe. I get the sign-up lists from their teachers, and it usually consists of donuts, candy, cookies, dye containing drinks, cupcakes, you get the idea. Since our children are in a school setting there is not much I can do to change the minds of others on what they supply the class. I do tell the boys to listen to their bodies when they eat these things. How do you feel after eating it? I encourage them to scrape colored icing off cupcakes and not to overindulge, but at the end of the day, they are children and heck we can all use a little splurge every once in a while. 80/20 is a rule of thumb I have come to realize when it comes to children. They need to eat right 80 percent of the time and 20 percent they can have a little bit of the not so good stuff.

Now, back in the day my kids used to eat corn dogs, pancakes on a stick, junk granola bars, chips, etc. Back then I feel like Justin, and I were in survival mode with 3 young boys and we were reaching for what was easy and convenient, what they would not fuss about. Now I know that I was not helping my children. I was hurting them….I really was. Their little bodies were in constant turmoil and in a constant state of inflammation. They were hyperactive, agitated, tired, and sick way more often than they are now. I say all this to say, if you are ready to make the change I am here to help. It won’t be easy and there will be tears (from both you and them) but it will be so worth it in the end. I hope one day my boys thank me for giving them healthy options and I am here to get you there too!

Don’t go cold turkey

Please, please for your sanity do not throw everything out! This will make the kiddos upset and make it seem like this transition is impossible. They will more than likely buck the system harder if you do this. This in my mind is also a waste of money. Yes, its junk but use that junk up as to not waste and to make the transition easier for everyone involved.

So, once you run out of something…..say Hotpockets….replace it with a homemade clean version. I have this recipe on the website. Homemade Hot Pocket dough Then, once you run out of something else, replace it with a better option. So on and so forth. Pretty soon you will see your pantry and freezers transforming as well as their taste buds. Clean eating for kids can be a smooth transition.

Prep is key when you are feeding kiddos a clean diet

Ok…..so this is what detours so many from eating this way. When will I have time to meal prep? That’s so hard! These are just two of the things that I hear. Well yes, these things can be hard to fit into busy schedules and they are sometimes difficult to learn. But you can do it if you want to. People have time for what they make time for. I am not saying this to come off as judgmental, truly I am not. But it is true.

People find time to swipe TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, they find time to veg out on the couch, go shopping, read a book, play video games, piddle in the yard etc. You will make time for what you want to do. That is human nature.

Sometimes there are things that I would much rather be doing than meal prepping but then I remember how important it is. There are a few easy things I have learned along the way that may help.

• Make big batches of things
• Freeze individually packed stuff
• Meal prep throughout the weekend so you don’t have to cook during the week
• Use a crock pot or instapot

The biggest thing for me is freezing our kids’ “convenience foods”.

• Breakfast burritos
• Focaccia pizzas
• Muffins
• Hamburger patties
• Homemade poptarts
• Homemade Pizza pockets
• Homemade pesto sauce

Canning spaghetti sauce is also a big win for me. Justin makes a HUGE batch of spaghetti sauce and I pressure can the excess so that I have some on hand for those busy weekday evenings. I also can things like taco soup and beef stew.

What My Kids Snack on for Clean Eating

• beef jerky
• pistachios
• dehydrated cinnamon apples
• freeze dried mangos
• pretzels (yes I buy them from the store but I feel it is better than Dorito’s…80/20 remember)
• homemade granola bars
• fruit…lots of fruit
• cucumbers
• cherry tomatoes
• homemade fruit rollups
• chips and salsa
• organic popcorn (not in the microwaveable bag)

Now, like I said before, this did not happen overnight. Gavin was the Flamin Hot Cheeto man back in the day! One thing at a time.

My best advice is to just give them grace and be patient. It will definitely be a transition and take time. But it will get easier I promise. Good luck, you got this!

Electric Lunch Box