Almost all kids like junk foods – how could they help it when advertisers spend millions of dollars selling it to them? But kids don’t only like junk food. After all, the biggest selling breakfast cereal – by far – is Weetbix, and it’s one of the healthiest foods kids can eat. Most children also like healthy foods like bread, milk, yoghurt, pasta, rice, potatoes, chicken and even fruit – especially if it’s cut up for them. When kids are hungry they don’t need fast food they need food fast. So the clue to keeping kids happy is to have foods that can be eaten quickly. That’s half the charm of breakfast cereals – and also why kids like packets of snacks or sweets that they only have to rip open.
Bread
Bread’s an instant food when you let kids eat it straight. Just give them a couple of slices of fresh bread. Plain white bread is good for them and they like it. Try rolls, a chunk of French bread, some raisin bread, pita or Turkish bread or English muffins. All Australian breads are nutritionally sound and are a much better choice than biscuits.
Sweet treats
Most kids really love anything that’s sweet and the healthiest way to satisfy their love of sweet foods is with foods like flavoured yoghurt, milk with Milo or Ovaltine or a smoothie you can whip up quickly. Even dried fruit or some fruit you’ve frozen in the freezer is great. Remember to remove the skin of bananas before freezing them. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of sugar. The main problem with sugar is that so much of it comes in junk foods which are either full of fat or have stacks of colouring, flavouring and preservatives but none of the nutrients growing kids need. If you want to make something with the kids try some piklets or pancakes because they’re reasonably healthy especially if they’re served with fruit.
Finger foods
Kids also like finger foods and that’s why chicken drumsticks or wings are so popular. It’s the same with vegetables. Raw green beans, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes or sweet, raw snow peas are popular, partly because they’re finger foods, but also because they’re nice and crunchy, too. Spinach on its own won’t appeal, but spinach in filo pastry is special and easy to pick up in your fingers.