Out of Sight, Out of Mind...with Food.

Have you ever heard of "out of sight, out of mind?"...well, I find the opposite is true as well. Keeping healthier food options in the line of sight will help you (and your kids) gravitate towards those versus the lingering "junk" in the closed pantry. One thing I do is keep clear glass containers on my countertop with healthier alternatives to snacks - such as lara bars, fruit & grain bars, cliff bars in one and shelled pistachios in the other. As well as a filled fruit bowl on a weekly basis - bananas, apples, oranges, etc. Lets not forget that when you have little kids its hard (and exhausting) to have fresh food constantly. So I have found certain packaged foods that I am willing to feed my family maybe as a quick snack - especially at school or on the go. My philosophy is that fast food doesn't have to be a drive-thru. Our family's fast food is a almond butter and organic strawberry preserve sandwich on wheat bread (cost virtually nothing) and maybe a portioned bag of pretzels, cheese stick, all natural fruit strip, applesauce or veggie sticks. Always with a side of fruit!

Keeping items visible and readily available allows routine in a positive way for your kids to choose the better option for a snack. And if your kids are always complaining that they're starving tell them to drink more water. Water will give your child the energy they need to motivate them to go and play, rather than sit and watch tv (while eating costant snacks). And believe me, although I once swore off tv for my oldest, I now find is necessary during dinner prep time. And again, by choosing and monitoring the proper shows they watch, they might even be educational! Nothing to kick yourself over.

On the contrary, keeping less healthy/packaged items away (maybe in a pantry or cabinet) will make the temptation of those snack items less enticing. Now remember, your first line of defense is to not even buy them. But realistically, I tried to do that for a while and then didn't want to be "that parent" who never allowed my child to make their own decisions. As they get older I try and let them choose for themselves, and then hopefully guide them in the right direction. But ultimately, we are in control.

Back to snacking....Fruit is best organic and whole, but also take note that I can take one apple and feed all three of my kids a snack. I slice it up and give them a little portion of all natural (one ingredient) almond/peanut butter to dip in. The combo is better for your metabolism anyway! As for vegetables, for some reason they're taboo in a childs world. Maybe b/c of the dull color? But I promise you, the more you try and give it to them, the more they'll take to it. Cut up carrots, cucumbers, peppers, etc. dipped in hummus or even mustard (yes, mustard) might be your kids "go-to" for a while, and thats fine. Just getting that bit of added veggie/nutrition in their diet is worth being repetitive. Try it out and let me know your tips & tricks!