EAT WELL, GROW WELL: ENCOURAGING HEALTHY EATING HABITS FOR YOUR LITTLE SPROUT

Feb 20

Hey parents!

Does your child consider chicken nuggets and butter noodles the pinnacle of fine dining? Do they scoff at new foods, particularly the green leafy kind? Are their meals looking a little too…beige? This one’s for you!

Long Beach preschool teacher and nutritional health coach, Hailey Batchelor, offers practical tools to add color to your little one’s plate and kickstart lifelong healthy eating habits!

In her new book, Eat the Rainbow, Shine Like the Sun, Hailey uses fun rhymes and bright illustrations to spark interest in healthy eating and teach kids how fruits and veggies power their minds and bodies!

“Whole foods do so much for growing bodies. I want to foster a genuine connection between kids and the foods they eat!” says Hailey. “It’s easier to form healthy habits from childhood than to start as an adult.”

So, how can you inspire your little one to try new foods and encourage healthy eating habits? Here’s Hailey’s advice:

Involve them in the process! Grocery shop together and recruit them to help prepare their food. Kids get excited about what they create.
Pair new foods with their favorite foods! Add a new fruit to their homemade smoothies. Offer new dips with their carrot sticks. Add a bite of a new veggie with a familiar meal. A low-pressure approach makes trying new food less intimidating.
Participate! Is there a fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried? Try it together! It’s ok to show your child that you don’t have to love everything you try. It’s all part of the adventure!