Try these summer healthy eating solutions

With a laid-back summer feel, eating healthy doesn’t seem like such a challenge. There is always a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables at the grocery store, at local farmers markets or maybe even in your back yard.

However, while part of the battle is the amount of fresh produce available, it is not good if your family is not on board with the idea of healthy eating. So, here are three tips to improve your healthy eating at home.

1. Get your young ones to help in the kitchen! Children cooking in the kitchen has been proven as a way not only to promote healthy eating habits, but boots children’s confidence, enhances children’s math skills and gives time for meaningful interactions with parents. Children who help cook meals with parents will be more willing to try the dishes (and hopefully new vegetables) they prepared.

2. Trade out one ingredient in a favorite meal with some of the fresh produce that is in season. With only slight changes to dishes, families will be more prone to try the new and improved. For example, if rice is your go-to side dish, add some fresh vegetables with boiling the rice for some added vitamin C.

3. Finally, if vegetables are the hardest food group to add to your diet, try masking them with some of the fresh fruit that is in season right now. If smoothies are your family’s favorite breakfast, add some juicy veggies to make your smoothie even better. Make a large batch and turn them into popsicles for a healthy summertime treat!