Getting your kids to eat like little health nuts is easy… said no one ever. When you’re trying to overhaul your kitchen and create a healthier lifestyle, you want your kids on board. But kids are kids so you need real-life, practical tips that will get them as excited about healthier eating as you are. We feel pretty dang lucky when it comes to the partnerships and friends we meet along this health and nutrition journey and we couldn’t feel more grateful to know Catherine McCord and her team at Weelicious. Today we’re chatting with Catherine to get her best practical tips for encouraging kids to eat healthy.

We know getting your children to eat healthy is a top priority for you. Is this something you were always passionate about or did something or someone spark this passion for you?

My husband, Jon, and I have always been healthy eaters. We started buying most of our food at our local farmers market years before our kids were born, so it was a natural progression once the kids started eating solids.

Looking at all your videos and your website, it seems like your family is always making healthy eating fun. Do you have three practical tips for getting the kids involved or making meals more fun?

• Let kids add one thing to every recipe even if it’s just sprinkling cinnamon on top of oatmeal in the morning.
• Start a garden even if it’s one tiny basil plant. Let your child nurture it and watch it grow and then make a recipe with it.
• Play fun games, even with your kids. We play the machine game taking turns to get each other to guess different machines for example. You want to take the pressure and focus off of the food on occasion and just have fun. I’ve watched my kids eat things that might normally become an issue based on them being engaged talking, playing the game, and eating what their bodies are craving most.

If you had to pick a handful of items that you prep in advance to make your weeks easier, what would they be?

Every Sunday I make a big batch of roasted veggies (butternut squash, onions, and carrots are favorites), grilled chicken breasts, brown rice and often sautéed greens. It’s easy to mix and match the items and have nutritious cooked food on hand to make it easier to make better choices.

Thanks Catherine and Weelicious!