The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthier - The Journey Begins

Almost every week I hear other parents say “I can’t get my child to eat fruits and vegetables”. There is frequently a sense of upset, annoyance, and even embarrassment when it comes to this topic – for the parents that is. Over the last six years we have transformed the relationship my children have to eating fruits and vegetables by 1,000%. This does not have to be difficult for you parents or care givers. It really does not have to be hard- although you probably can almost see your child or children pitching a fit when you place that first bowl of beets down in front of them! Here are a few tried and true ideas that are likely to work with most children – maybe not your children, but probably everyone else’s.

 Make up your mind that it will come to pass. Yes, once you make up your mind that your sweet and loving children WILL eat more fruits and vegetables, an amazing thing will happen. They will. Once YOU make up your mind that your children are going to eat healthier they will actually eat ‘that green stuff’. You will hear new statements come out of your mouth. Statements like: “You will be eating fruits and vegetables from now on. Your job is to figure out what you like and how you will eat it.” Or this one that I actually said years ago: “You will all be eating beets tonight. You can put salt on them, some salad dressing or eat them plain. Your job is to figure out how you will eat them.” My children ate the beets with a homemade non-dairy ranch dip, and declared that they were not ‘half-bad’.

 Take your children grocery shopping with you. Have them pick out fruits and vegetables with you. While you are shopping you can talk about how the fruits and vegetables could be prepared and eaten. You can also talk about the cost of real food compared to junk food and nutrition. My children and I do this on a regular basis – where we are “on the look for a new fruit or vegetable”. The last time we went on a new food hunt,  we ended up having the kids sample some “Wholly Guacamole”, which they loved! Finding a new food was just too easy with Wegmans giving out samples that day on gluten-free rice crackers no less! Score!

Wholly Guacamole Brand

Get your children in the kitchen to help prepare the foods. Children who are involved in food preparation are much more likely to taste and enjoy the foods. You can have them help pick out the top three recipes they would like to try using the new fruit or vegetable.

Set a good example. You knew I would eventually get to this one didn’t you? Yes, it’s like telling your child to wear a bike helmet and then not wearing one yourself. Then do you really wonder why your child grows up and ditches the bike helmet as soon as they can? If you are serious about your child eating healthy, set a good example for them. Change your mindset about fruits and vegetables. We just found a new food that will work well when we dine at a restaurant for my severely allergic daughter - Revolution Food Organic Mashups Squeezable Fruit. Packaged in individual servings, this works great for travel and restaurant use - and fits well into our healthy eating lifestyle.

Revolution Foods - Organic Mashups Squeezable Fruit (we use this exclusively for when we travel or go to a restaurant).
 
Rome was clearly not built in a day. If your child or children don't eat lots of fruits and vegetables, do not despair! Start today by making a commitment and make one small change here and one small change there. It will add up - I promise. Need more help than this? Share your situation in the comment section or ask a question on this blog! I am here to help!

Love,

Lisa

Traveling with Food Allergies or Celiac Disease

As someone who teaches gluten-free, dairy-free and allergen-free baking classes, I am familiar with those people who think that it is too difficult to travel with celiac disease or food allergies. I travel each and every month with my three children with relative ease. Notice I used the word relative. Everything in this arena is relative. My 8-year old daughter has severe and life-threatening food allergies (eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, milk) and she has had pretty bad reactions to preservatives and additives in foods, so we avoid them to minimize her looking like she was punched in the face. My 10-year old son has celiac disease, which requires a diet free of gluten. He also happens to be lactose intolerant like many people with celiac disease. Oh yes, and let us not forget that I am highly allergic to all tree nuts and coconut.  Is this sounding a bit like a picnic or a day at the beach now? Let me share some of my best tips for making traveling a breeze.

 

Be Prepared. Anyone with a health condition would be well advised to be prepared. This means have food to feed yourself or your child. Take snacks, sandwiches, or even a hot meal in a thermos. Use good health practices by keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Due to my daughter’s severe food allergies and the scope of them, we take pre-packaged, commercially made foods into a restaurant for her. Most chain restaurants are more than happy to warm up her Kettle Cuisine Chicken Noodle Soup, or her Ian’s Mac and No Cheese - two gluten-free and allergen-free products pictured below. I have no relationship with either company just for the record. 

Ian's Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut free Mac & No Cheese

Kettle Cuisine's Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup (also dairy-free, hormone-free, etc.)

Be Nice. Not every restaurant is ready to go gluten-free or be allergy friendly. There is no need to scowl or be grumpy. Just take your party to a more suitable restaurant. It is not the obligation of a restaurant to serve special needs guests. Besides, you’ll win more favors and influence more people with a generous smile.

 

Know where the closest Wegmans or good health food store is located. When we travel to a new area, we will take a grocery bag of staple items “just in case”. Over the years, we’ve learned where the good stores are in the various cities we visit regularly.

 

Don’t assume the wait staff or even chef “gets it”.  I’ve had my own food allergies long enough to know that the wait staff and chef may say that they understand, but they may not. If you are dining out with IgE mediated – read life threatening food allergies- you should be carrying a few doses of a fast-acting allergy medication and an Epi-Pen®. I’m not trying to be scary or discourage you from eating out. You just should not be eating out with a false sense of security. I’ve known many a celiac who reported being sick after eating an allegedly gluten free meal at a restaurant. Better safe than sorry.

 

If we can do it, you can do it. Let me know your thoughts on traveling with celiac, food allergies and the GFCF diet. I’d love to hear what you do or your questions or problems. Having major food issues does not inhibit our family life and travel so please don't let it limit yours!

Love,

Lisa