5 Healthy Foods Your Kids Will Love!

It should come as no surprise that all 5 are plant foods, because no matter what type of diet you believe to be healthiest, no one can argue that everyone young or old need to eat more plants, especially vegetables.

Although the majority of the recipes on my blog are plant-based, I’m not vegan and neither is my family. However I eat plant-based 80% of the time if not more, and many of my kids’ meals are plant-based or vegetarian most of the time. There has been so much research that shows eating more plants foods can help improve reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight, improving eye sight, our skin and our gut health.

So if your child’s is predominately eating chicken nuggets with fries, and the only fruits they get is from juice in a carton and their only vegetable was the french fries…then read on! These are the super healthy plant-foods that my kids love and I’ve shared some ideas on how to enjoy them.

Avocados are very nutritious and contain a wide variety of nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals.They are also full of healthy fats, and are high in fiber. They are so delicious and easy to add to all sorts of food thanks to their relatively neutral flavor, and rich creamy texture. If your kids enjoy smoothies, then adding a quarter of an avocado won’t be noticeable. However my kids love enjoying them in their most famous use which is guacamole.

There are many ways to make guacamole, but the simplest and most enjoyable for picky eaters is to mash some avocado with salt, pepper and either lemon or lime juice. Then use some crispy pita bread or tortilla chips to scoop it up and enjoy. Your kids will also enjoy making it with you. And if they help you make it, they are more likely to eat it.

Whoever discovered that blended frozen bananas taste like soft-serve ice cream is a genius. Bananas  a great source of fiber, packed with energy-giving carbohydrates, and are rich in nutrients, especially potassium.

To make nice cream, all you need to do is wait until your bananas are ripe…the stage when they have black spots all over but not completely black….slice them into chunks and place in a sealable container in the freezer. Then whenever you want some nice cream, you place the frozen banana chunks in a blender or food processor and blend until you reach an ice cream like consistency. I prefer using a small food processor, and the rest is pretty simple; you can check out this videoof me making it. My kids and I love the chocolate and peanut butter flavorfor dessert. But you can certainly make it for breakfast on its own, or add some frozen berries and a little milk to help blend it. Top it with some nuts and seeds for a little crunch and nutrition boost.

Seriously? Kale…for kids? You can barely get adults to like kale let alone a picky 7 year-old! Okay, here me out here. Kale is a misunderstood leafy green…but once you “get it”..you will fall in love with its versatility and your kids will too. Maybe you’ve heard about “massaging” kale…but forget all that…the trick is to chop the kale small or shred it like we do at Crumbs with our Kale Granola Salad…or with our all vegan menu onTable11with our Asian Kale Salad…and you can see what I mean in this Kale Protein Salad recipe. Once your kale is nicely shredded or finely chopped you add the dressing, let it hang out there for a while and the kale will soften and loose it’s bitter and woody taste. It’s also amazing sautéed….like you would sauté spinach, however it won’t wilt as much, which is a plus for me! That’s how my older daughter Lulu enjoys it….sautéed and in salads. Noura however can’t get enough of our homemade Cashew Cheese Kale Chips. They truly are the healthiest alternative to potato chips.

Just like most leafy greens, kale is a great source of vitamins K, A and C, and contains good amounts of folate, calcium and other minerals.

Think of kale like coffee…once you get accustomed to the taste and find your favorite way to enjoy it, you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life! Wait…isn’t this supposed to be about the kids?

Most kids love regular potatoes, especially fried…but usually don’t mind having them baked either as long there’s some ketchup on the side. But not all of them are crazy about sweet potato…even though they not only taste better in my opinion, but are also more nutritious. One medium sweet potato provides nearly four times the recommended daily value of vitamin A, plus some vitamin C and B6, potassium, and manganese.

We like using the orange flesh sweet potato at home, and my kids especially love it made into sweet potato fries. All you need to do is wash the sweet potato, dry it and remove the skin, then slice into the desired shape…I like them chunky. Place on a baking sheet and rub in some olive oil, salt and pepper all over the potatoes to your liking. Usually 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil per potato, depending on its size, is enough. Add any spices you think your kids might like. Bake it in a hot oven (approximately 400F or 200C) for 20 minutes, then turn over and bake for about 15 minutes more. Serve hot with some ketchup.

Just like kale…quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a trendy food that’s also super good for you. It’s highly nutritious, loaded with many important nutrients, high in fibre, and high in protein with all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It’s gluten-free and perfect for anyone with a gluten intolerance. You can enjoy it like you would any grain although it’s technically a seed.

My kids enjoy it in salad the same way you would use bulgher in taboule like the Crumbs Beetroot Taboule. For Noura I mix it with some chopped cucumber, grated carrots and sweetcorn with a little salad dressing. You can also use it instead of rice, especially for Asian style meals like curries or stir-fries. If you cook it in homemade or organic broth instead of water, it will have a delicious flavor your child will even enjoy it on its own.

If you’ve never made quinoa before, I show you how to make it in this video. Also have a look at how to make Quinoa Chia Fatayerand top it with your child’s favorite toppings…even better let them make it with you and they are more likely to eat it.

Sweet potato fries to dip into some guacamole with a side of sautéed kale, a lovely but simple quinoa salad, and banana nice cream for dessert!

Each of the foods above are the ones I would stock up on while on holiday. Especially during the summer as we always rent a home (instead of a hotel). To make sure my kids, especially the younger one Noura, is eating well I would usually include avocado in her breakfast, and quinoa or sweet potato with her dinner, and kale chips as a snack. That way if she eats just pizza or pasta when we are eating out, I’m satisfied she’s had some nutrition that day.

Just keep in mind that if you won’t eat it, don’t expect your kids to. Your child will model your eating habits, if not in the short-term, then definitely in the long-term.

Let me know what healthy foods your kids love! Share with me in the comments below and let’s inspire each other.