Summer Holiday Healthy Kids Food Guide
Have you pledged that this Summer will be fuelled by lots of healthy kids food, family meals and wholesome activities?
Maybe you intend to be eating more fresh salad, less chocolate ice cream, but need some help making sure healthy meals are still enjoyable and fun.
Whether you’re still working and have childcare sorted, or are at home with the kids or even going away on holiday, you don’t want to have to start the new term in September dreading the next goal – the Christmas LBD (!) – and with more weight to lose than before the school holiday started, so how do you make sure you stay on track with your good intentions?
There are plenty of family friendly meals whether your cooking at home or eating out at restaurants that are fun for all ages, and healthy food doesn’t have to be boring, inflexible or unsuitable for kids.
In fact if you’re making different meals for various family members, you’re likely way overcomplicating things.
Here are my 7 Tips for Eating Well with The Family This Summer
Keep It Simple – spicy marinades, grown up salad dressings and extravagant meals don’t always go down well with younger and sometimes fussy taste buds. Simply seasoned and grilled meat and fish and some platters of chopped vegetables with healthy dips are much more child friendly, especially with younger children.
Freeze it – anything on a stick or that looks like ice cream is more fun, so pour low sugar yoghurts into lolly moulds to make healthy and calcium rich summer treats, or freeze ‘tube’ yoghurts. These also make great picnic ice packs – by the time you’re ready to eat they’ve softened and your food has been kept cold.
Go Berry Mad – low calorie, low sugar and full of vitamins and antioxidants, berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries are in season in the UK now, and they also happen to be many kids’ favourite fruits. They’re cheaper,
Get Baking – have fun, help them learn some cooking skills like measuring ingredients and flavour combinations, and get homemade treats at the end! Choose healthier recipes like low sugar flapjacks or snack bars packed with chopped nuts and seeds, or make a healthy bread loaf for picnics instead of buying processed store bought bread.
Make Lemonade – using sparkling water, fresh lemon juice and stevia (a natural, sugar free sweetener).
Recreate your favourite take-away meals like pizza and fish and chips at home, giving them a healthy makeover by using plenty of vegetables, and grilling or baking rather than deep frying food.
Make a habit of ordering vegetable or salad side dishes whenever you eat at a restaurant – eating plenty of fresh veg should be a habit that extends all year round, even when treating your family to a meal out.
Are there any other ideas you have for eating well as a family this Summer holidays?
Comment below with your thoughts, as I would love to hear them.
Also check out this guide to staying active with the family over the Summer school holiday too. <
If you would like any help getting fitter and healthier this summer, please just drop me an email at polly@thefitmumformula.com